Ashes: Australia in commanding position, 89 runs away from winning Sydney Test (Day 5, Lunch)

Sydney [Australia], January 8 (ANI): Australia are on the verge of defeating the Three Lions in the fifth Test of the 2025 Ashes, reaching 71 runs in the second innings on Day 5 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Mitchell Starc led Australia's charge with the ball in the second innings as the visitors could only manage 342, with the seasoned left-arm pacer picking up three wickets, ending his Ashes 2025 tally with 32 wickets.
Travis Head (29) and Jake Weatherald (34) got Australia to a comfortable start while chasing 160 runs, putting up 62 runs. Josh Tongue got rid of Head, whereas Weatherald got out to ace English pace on the brink of Lunch as the hosts reached 71/2.
Earlier, England posted 384 in 97.3 overs after opting to bat first. Veteran batter Joe Root top-scored with 160 runs off 242 deliveries, along with 15 fours. This was Root's second hundred in the Ashes series after the Brisbane Test.
England vice-captain Harry Brook played a fighting knock of 84 runs off 97 balls, with the help of six fours and one six. Wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith made 27 off 62 balls, including three boundaries.
For Australia, Mitchell Starc (2/93), Michael Neser (4/60), Scott Boland (2/85), Cameron Green (1/85), and Marnus Labuschagne (1/14) were among the wicket-takers.
In response, Australia notched up 567 in 133.5 overs and took a 183-run lead. Captain Steve Smith made 138 off 220 balls, including 16 fours and one six. Beau Webster scored 71 off 87 deliveries, with the help of seven boundaries. Travis Head top-scored with 163 runs off 166 balls, along with 24 fours and one six.
For Three Lions, Brydon Carse (3/130), Josh Tongue (3/97), captain Ben Stokes (2/95), Will Jacks (1/34), and Jacob Bethell (1/52) picked wickets.
In the second innings of England, the 22-year-old Jacob Bethell played a fantastic knock of 154 off 265 deliveries, including 15 fours.
After scoring his maiden First-Class Hundred, the 22-year-old Bethell became the ninth England batter to score a century against Australia, aged 22 or younger, according to ESPNcricinfo.
He joined the elite list, including Johnny Briggs, Jack Hearne, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, Colin Cowdrey, David Gower, Mike Atherton, Alastair Cook, and Ben Stokes.
Additionally, the stylish left-handed batter became the sixth English player to score their maiden First-Class century in a Test match.
Before Bethell, the elite milestone was achieved by Henry Wood against South Africa in 1898, Billy Griffith vs West Indies in 1948, Jack Russell vs Australia in 1989, Stuart Broad vs Pakistan in 2010, Gus Atkinson vs Sri Lanka in 2024.
Opener Ben Duckett (42 off 55 deliveries, including six fours) and Harry Brook (42 off 48 balls, with the help of five fours) helped England make 342 in their second innings, setting up a target of 160 runs.
For Australia, Mitchell Starc (3/72), Scott Boland (2/46), Michael Neser (1/55), and Beau Webster (3/64) scalped wickets.
Brief Scores: England: 384 and 342 (Joe Root 160, Jacob Bethell 154, Michael Neser 4/60, Mitchell Starc 3/72) vs Australia: 567 and 71/2 (Travis Head 165, Steve Smith 138, Brydon Carse 3/108, Josh Tongue 2/23). (ANI)