The fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground is shaping up to be a classic, with both England and Australia locked in a tense battle after two days of high-quality cricket. Joe Root, England’s ever-reliable batting maestro, delivered one of his finest performances on Australian soil, notching his 41st Test century and equaling the legendary Ricky Ponting on the all-time men’s Test century list. With Root’s 160 anchoring England’s first innings and Travis Head leading Australia’s reply with a flamboyant, unbeaten 91, the match remains finely poised as the teams head into Day 3.
After winning the toss on a rain-affected opening day, England skipper Ben Stokes sent his men in to bat on a pitch that offered little movement for the bowlers. The decision looked questionable early on as England stumbled to 57-3, losing Ben Duckett (27), Zak Crawley (16), and Jacob Bethell (10) before lunch. The Australian pace attack, bolstered by the inclusion of all-rounder Beau Webster in place of quick Jhye Richardson, and notably fielding no frontline spinner for the first time in 138 years at a Sydney Test, was relentless in the opening exchanges.
But just when things looked bleak for the visitors, Joe Root and Harry Brook joined forces, steadying the ship with a counterattacking partnership. The duo’s stand reached 154 runs unbroken by the close of a rain-shortened Day 1, with Root unbeaten on 72 and Brook on 78. “We’re in a very good position, obviously three down at the end of play,” Brook said, reflecting the team’s optimism heading into the second day.
Bad light and persistent rain brought an early end to the opening day, but England resumed on Day 2 with renewed purpose. Root, displaying all the composure and class of a 163-Test veteran, marched on to his 41st Test hundred. He brought up the milestone off 146 balls, peppering the boundary with 11 fours, and celebrated with his now-familiar shrug gesture—a nod to his earlier century in Brisbane that ended his Australian drought.
Root’s innings was a masterclass in patience and shot selection, and as he reached 138 not out by lunch, he looked in total control. Even as wickets tumbled around him—Brook finally fell for 84, Ben Stokes was dismissed for a duck by a near-unplayable delivery from Mitchell Starc, and Jamie Smith contributed a lively 46—Root stood firm. He eventually reached 150 in the second session, and his marathon 242-ball stay, which included 15 boundaries, was finally ended by a sharp caught-and-bowled from Michael Neser. Root’s 160 is now his best Test score in Australia, and his 41st century puts him level with Ricky Ponting, trailing only Sachin Tendulkar (51) and Jacques Kallis (45) on the all-time list.
As Root walked off the SCG, he received a standing ovation from the near-capacity crowd. Speculation was rife that this might be his Australian farewell, but Root was quick to quash any finality. “I think you might be looking into it a little bit too much,” he told reporters. “I just felt like we’ve had some amazing support throughout this series, and we’ve not been able to achieve what we set out to as a group. But at no point has that (support) ever wavered, and that’s never wavered whenever I’ve come out here on tour, it’s been exceptional. And it’s a way of saying thank you, really.” When pressed on a possible return in four years, Root added, “Who knows? We’ll see. I’d love to, but we’ll see how things unfold in time.”
England’s innings wrapped up just before tea at 384, thanks to a late burst from Michael Neser, who finished with figures of 4-60. Scott Boland (2-85) and Mitchell Starc (2-93) chipped in with crucial wickets, while Steve Smith’s sharp catch ended Brook’s resistance and Starc continued his dominance over Stokes, dismissing him for the fifth time in the series.
Australia’s reply was brisk and aggressive. Travis Head and Jake Weatherald wasted no time, raising a 50-run opening stand inside the first 10 overs. Head, in particular, was in imperious touch, racing to his half-century from just 55 balls and passing 500 runs for the series at a strike rate above 87. “Every ball he (Head) is looking to score,” Neser said of his teammate. “He is not trying to work it around or grind it out. And most times he creates more opportunities than normal batters, because he is so talented.”
Ben Stokes, leading from the front, eventually broke through by trapping Weatherald lbw for 21 with Australia at 57-1. Marnus Labuschagne then joined Head, and the pair put together a rapid 105-run partnership, with Labuschagne finding some much-needed form. The evening session saw tempers flare, with Stokes and Labuschagne engaging in a spirited verbal exchange as fading light threatened to halt play. Stokes ultimately had the last word, dismissing Labuschagne for 48 with a well-placed catch at gully, giving England a crucial breakthrough just before stumps.
Australia ended Day 2 on 166-2, with Head unbeaten on 91 from just 87 balls and Neser surviving a painful blow on the elbow as nightwatchman. The match is tantalizingly balanced, with Australia trailing England’s first-innings total by 218 runs and plenty of cricket still to be played.
For England, a win in Sydney would not only salvage pride after Australia retained the Ashes with victories in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide, but also secure 12 vital ICC World Test Championship points as they aim to move up from seventh in the standings. The tourists, buoyed by their drought-breaking win in Melbourne, are eager to finish the series on a high.
As the action resumes, all eyes will be on Travis Head to see if he can convert his flamboyant start into a century, and on England’s bowlers to see if they can wrest back control. With the Ashes already decided but plenty still at stake, Day 3 promises more drama and high-octane cricket at the SCG.
This Ashes finale has already delivered memorable moments—Root’s historic ton, Head’s counterpunch, and a fiercely competitive spirit from both sides. With the outcome still very much in the balance, cricket fans around the world will be glued to the unfolding drama in Sydney.
