Sydney: Steve Smith (44 batting, 88b, 3×4) racked up another milestone as he continued to torment England and Usman Khawaja (91 batting, 204b, 7×4, 1×6) neared a century to put Australia in a strong position after day two of the final Ashes Test here Friday at the SCG.
The Australian skipper became the second fastest batsman to reach 6,000 Test runs in his 111th innings, second only to the legendary Don Bradman. Smith, with three centuries in this five-match series, has been the bane of the England team and was potentially heading towards another ton. At close the hosts were 193 for two in reply to England’s 346 first innings.
“We’re stoked he’s on our team so we don’t have to bowl at him,” Ausralia paceman Pat Cummins said of Smith. “Those big innings he has played have been really important. In Brisbane and Perth they were match-winning and in Melbourne it was match-saving. “It’s just incredible and I think he’s been the difference between the two sides.”
So far in the series Smith has scored 648 runs at an average of 162. Friday, he shared an unbeaten stand of 107 runs for the third wicket after Australia had lost Cameron Bancroft (0) and David Warner (56, 104b, 6×4).
Warner reached his fourth half-century of the series before James Anderson coaxed an edge behind after Bancroft was bowled by Stuart Broad for a seven-ball duck.
England’s maligned tail earlier piled on runs before the tourists were bowled out at lunch. Newcomer Tom Curran (39), Moeen Ali (30) and Broad (31) put on valuable runs on the board after the early departure of overnight half centurion Dawid Malan (62, 180b, 6×4).
It was a brilliant piece of fielding that saw Malan’s back as Smith pulled off a stunner diving full length to his left after the batsman, trying to cut Mitchell Starc (2/80) had edged the ball. Pat Cummins, however, was the pick of the Australian bowlers with four wickets.
Brief scores: England 346 (Dawid Malan 62, Tom Curran 39, Pat Cummins 3/41); Australia 193 for 2 (Usman Khawaja 91 batting, David Warner 56, Steve Smith 44 batting).
Agence France-Presse