Australia 71-2 at lunch, need 89 more to win final Ashes Test / Photo: DAVID GRAY - AFP
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Australia 71-2 at lunch, need 89 more to win final Ashes Test
Australia zeroed in on victory in the fifth and final Ashes Test Thursday, needing 89 more runs to seal a 4-1 series triumph with Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith at the crease.
At lunch on day five in Sydney, the hosts were 71-2 after being set 160 to win when England were dismissed for 342 on the back of Jacob Bethell's stylish 154.
Labuschagne was on seven with Smith yet to face a ball. Travis Head was out for 29 and Jake Weatherald 34 on the stroke of lunch.
Head sent Brydon Carse to the ropes twice in the opening over to signal his intent, while Weatherald smashed Josh Tongue through the covers to get going.
Tempers were raised when Weatherald survived a review for caught behind on 16 despite the controversial Snicko technology, which has been unreliable all series, appearing to indicate a faint murmur.
An angry Carse had to be pulled away from complaining to the on-field umpire by England captain Ben Stokes and the bowler exchanged heated words with Weatherald.
England finally got their reward when Head swiped Tongue to Carse at midwicket and Weatherland top-edged the same bowler to Matthew Potts from the last ball before lunch.
The tourists resumed on 302-8 with a 119-run advantage, determined to produce a late flurry but only adding 40.
Precocious number three Bethell, trumpeted as the future of English cricket, padded up on 142 with Potts yet to score.
The 22-year-old's maiden Test century had given England hope of back-to-back victories after winning the last Test at Melbourne inside two days.
Australia won the first three Test in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide to retain the Ashes.
Bethell reached 150 with two off Mitchell Starc then was given out lbw to Scott Boland after adding just one more run, but ball tracking showed it was going high.
It was a brief reprieve and he edged Starc to wicketkeeper Alex Carey soon after to end a breakthrough innings, with his marathon 265-ball stay including 15 fours.
Tongue was the last man out for six, again to Starc, with Labuschagne taking a simple catch. Potts was not out 18.
It was Starc's 31st wicket of the series, more than any other bowler, with the 35-year-old finishing on 3-72.
Australia were all out for 567 in their first innings on Wednesday on the back of centuries from Head and Smith in reply to the tourists' 384, build on Joe Root's 160.
X.Fitzpatrick--NG
