Travis Head, Steve Smith slam record centuries as Australia take control of 5th Ashes Test

Travis Head and Steve Smith scored centuries to push Australia ahead of England in the fifth and final Test on Day 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Head played another astonishing knock as he raced to 163 from just 166 deliveries to put England under pressure while Smith took his time to weave up his 37th Test ton. The duo helped Australia reach 518/7 at the end of the third day in reply to England’s 384.

Australia had finished the second day at 166/2 with Head batting on 91. While England managed to get five wickets on the third day, Australia marched ahead 352 runs thanks to tons from Smith and Head. The hosts have already won the series and are leading 3-1.

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Smith only behind Bradman

Smith further added credibility to his claim of being one of the greatest Test batters since Don Bradman with an unbeaten 129 from 205 balls. With his ton, the right-hander now remains only behind Bradman on some elite lists.

Enroute to his innings, the 36-year-old moved past Jack Hobbs’ 3636-run mark to become the second-highest run scorer in Ashes history. The century, Smith’s 13th in Ashes, also helped the right-hander surpass Hobbs’ mark of 12. Only Bradman (5028 runs and 19 centuries) now has more runs and tons than Smith in history of this storied rivalry.

Smith also left Bradman behind in the list of most runs against England in international cricket. In an all three formats combined, Smith now has 5085 runs against the Three Lions while Bradman, who only played Test cricket, has 5028 international runs in front of the same opponent.

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Head joins elite list

Before Smith added to his records, it was Head who yet again made the heads all around the cricketing world turn towards his phenomenal batting. Head’s incredible 163 flattened English bowling as the left-hander slammed 24 fours and a six in his innings. This was his third century of the series and thus he became the first Australian opener in more than two decades to hit as many tons in an Ashes since Matthew Hayden in 2002-03.

Apart from Head only Michael Vaughan, Alastair Cook and Hayden have achieved the feat this century. Head also became only the second Australian opener to score over 500 runs in an Ashes series in the 21st century, after David Warner did the same in 2013-14.