Usman Khawaja's stunning return to test cricket continued today with a blistering century in Australia's second innings on day four leading the hosts to 265-6 declared and setting England an unlikely 388 runs to win the fourth Ashes test.
Openers Zak Crawley and Haseeb Hameed then survived a nervous 11 overs in fading light to get England safely to stumps at 30 without loss. Khawaja, who scored 137 in the first innings in his first appearance since 2019, headlined another dominant day for Australia with an unbeaten 101 off 138 balls as part of a 179-run partnership with Cameron Green.
It was just the third time that twin centuries have been made at the Sydney Cricket Ground with former Australia captain Ricky Ponting the last man to score two centuries in an SCG test — 2006 against South Africa.
Green (74) made a welcome contribution for Australia, who had sunk to 86-4 earlier in the day, with his second half-century in his eighth test.
The record successful fourth innings chase at the SCG is 288, which was achieved by Ponting's Australia in the same 2006 test against South Africa. While it's highly unlikely England will defy SCG history and chase down a near 400-run target, Crawley (22 not out) and Haseeb (eight not out) helped give England a glimmer of hope that they may yet save the game and achieve their best result so far in the series.
Rain is also forecast for Sydney tomorrow which may assist England's cause in playing for a draw. Earlier, spinner Jack Leach took four wickets for England, including Green and Alex Carey off the final two balls of Australia's innings, in what was his best bowling performance of the series.
He also dismissed Marcus Harris (27) and then got the prize wicket of Steve Smith for 23, bowling the star batsman with a delivery that kept low of the SCG pitch to reduce Australia to a potentially vulnerable 86-4.
Mark Wood, who has troubled all of Australia's batsmen with his pace this series, got the wickets of Warner (3) and Labuschagne (29), both caught behind by Ollie Pope, who had replaced injured wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.
Resuming today at 258-7, England could only muster another 36 runs as Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland quickly mopped up the lower order to establish a first-innings lead of 122.
Lyon (2-88) struck in the third over the morning, teasing Leach into a big shot but was easily caught by Pat Cummins for 10.
Boland, returning with the all-clear after needing a scan on his ribs following a fall while he was bowling just before tea on Friday, finally ended Jonny Bairstow's defiant innings at 113.
Bairstow faced 158 balls, hitting eight boundaries and three sixes. Boland then had Stuart Broad caught behind for 15 to end the innings.
