Australia vs England fifth Test day 4 cricket scores, results, start time, wickets, teams, how to watch, Sydney Test, SCG

Steve Smith is a solid dance partner. Very experienced. Just ask Travis Head and Usman Khawaja, and Alex Carey and Cameron Green. And Beau Webster, who is out there with him right now, kicking his heels up to A Hard Day’s Night.

Smith, unbeaten on 129, was in his hallmark Ashes exhibitionist form yesterday at the SCG. England’s bowlers and fielders tried to trip him up midway through the mashed potato, but the 36-year-old was too smooth. Turned out he was more bothered by distractions from the crowd than anything Ben Stokes and co could serve up.

That Matthew Potts was the one serving up the second new ball just about sums up England’s predicament. And you have to really feel for Potts, who could yet become a symbol of his team’s ignominious tour (also feeling for Will Jacks after dropping Head, as countless viewers around world simultaneously stated they would not have dropped Head in those circumstances).

That was day three of the fifth Test in Sydney. Jan McGrath day. The day on which Head brought up his 12th Test century and Smith his 37th. The day England burned their last two reviews on the nightwatchman, Michael Neser (24). The day Smith surpassed England’s Jack Hobbs (3636 runs) to become the second-highest scorer in Ashes history. Given Don Bradman’s 5028 is likely unassailable, it should be a moment in which to revel. Revel also in the fact Australia’s innings has now produced seven 50-plus partnerships, which must be close to some sort of Test record but I do not know the answer to this.

Today is day four, and Smith (129) and Webster (42) resume to presumably bat for as long as humanly possible given there are two days to go and they have to bat last. A declaration unlikely, you’d think. Or will England take an early wicket and take that decision out of Australia’s hands?

First ball at 10am AEDT.