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Steve Smith and Brad Haddin punish England
BBC Sport – Steve Smith’s second century in three matches and yet another brilliant Brad Haddin counter-attack punished a weary England as the first day of the fifth Test followed a familiar script.
For the fourth time in these Ashes, England made big early inroads, reducing Australia to 97-5 having put them in to bat on an overcast, sweaty morning in Sydney.
Steven Smith counter-attacked with 115 © Getty Images
But the next three wickets put on 228 runs as Australia advanced to 326 all out to move closer to a second whitewash in three series down under.
England then lost the sorry Michael Carberry for a duck as they limped to 8-1 at the close under a ferocious assault from Mitchell Johnson.
Only figures of 6-99 for Ben Stokes – the first five-wicket haul of his young Test career – brought England cheer as Smith’s 115 and Haddin’s 75 pulled the day from their grasp.
On a day when three new caps were given their debut, one of them – Boyd Rankin – limped out of the attack with a hamstring injury while the second – leg-spinner Scott Borthwick – went for seven an over.
It was symptomatic of a winter when only Stokes’ selection has gone right for England, as almost everything they have tried has backfired or failed.
Their day, having begun in unprecedented fashion for this series when Alastair Cook won the toss for the first time in five matches, kicked on in promising fashion for England before taking a familiar path.
David Warner fell for 16 when he played all round a fine Stuart Broad inswinger, and Stokes then saw Chris Rogers play on for 11 as he tried to pull.
Stokes got rid of captain Michael Clarke with a fine delivery that took the outside edge through to Ian Bell at second slip, and when Shane Watson was trapped lbw to the last ball before lunch – England’s first lbw of the entire series – Australia were teetering at 94-4.
Straight after the interval that became 97-5 when the hapless George Bailey – his side’s only true failure of this almost totally successful Ashes – edged Broad to Cook for just one.
However, as in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne, that was merely the green light for another clattering fightback from Haddin, England’s happy torturer throughout the series.
With Rankin limping off and Borthwick under assault – his first three overs went for 21 – Haddin raced to his fourth half-century of the series, off 70 balls, with Smith in eager support.
England were guilty of bowling too short, feeding the wicketkeeper his favourite diet of pulls and slashing cuts, and runs came at pace as the Australia pair tucked in.
It was a surprise when Haddin became Stokes’ third victim – he edged to Cook for 75 with the partnership worth 128 – but Smith continued to pillage with England a bowler short.
A spiralling slog from Johnson brought Borthwick his first Test wicket, the first for an England leg-spinner since Ian Salisbury dismissed Inzamam-ul-Haq in Faisalabad 14 years ago.
Smith, happy to profit from the many short balls and full tosses, silenced any celebrations as he crashed a six and four in consecutive deliveries to move to his third Test century.
Ryan Harris followed suit against a weary attack, smashing James Anderson for four on both sides of the wicket before driving Stokes to short extra-cover for 22.
Stokes then saw off Peter Siddle and Smith in the next three balls to finish with an admirable 6-99, while Borthwick recorded 1-49 off seven overs on a testing debut.
Carberry, surprisingly preferred to Joe Root, then fended Johnson to the diving Nathan Lyon at leg slip for a tortured nine-ball nought before Cook and nightwatchman Anderson clung on until stumps.
Scores: England 1 for 8 (Cook 7*, Anderson 1*) trail Australia 326 (Smith 115, Haddin 75, Stokes 6-99) by 318 runs.
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