Australia vs England 5th Ashes Test, Day 4 highlights: England 302/8 at stumps, lead by 119 runs vs Australia at SCG
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THE TIMES OF INDIA | Jan 08, 2026, 09:58:20 IST
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Australia vs England 5th Ashes Test, Day 4 highlights: England 302/8 at stumps, lead by 119 runs vs Australia at SCG

Australia vs England 5th Ashes Test highlights: Rock-solid Jacob Bethell plundered a chanceless maiden Test century Wednesday as England reeled in Australia then built a tenuous 119-run lead to leave the fifth and final Ashes Test on a knife edge.
By stumps on day four at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the tourists were 302-8 with Bethell not out 142 and Matthew Potts yet to score.

The 22-year-old Bethell saved the day after Zak Crawley fell early and veteran Joe Root cheaply, powering to his hundred in style off 162 balls.

But wickets tumbled around him with Harry Brook (42) and Will Jacks (0) removed in the space of three balls by the off-spin of Beau Webster two overs after Bethell reached the landmark.

A calamitous mix-up then saw Jamie Smith (24) run out.

Ben Stokes (1) came in at seven after limping off clutching what appeared to be his groin while bowling the third over of the day, but only lasted five balls with Webster again doing the damage.

England are desperate for another morale-boosting win after victory in the previous Test at Melbourne. Australia lead 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes.

Remarkably, it was not just Bethell's maiden Test ton but the only one he has scored in red-ball cricket, with his previous best 96 against New Zealand.

Bethell was recalled for Melbourne to replace the under-performing Ollie Pope, scoring a gritty 40 in difficult batting conditions with the number three position now his to lose.

His exploits came after the hosts were dismissed for 567 before lunch on the back of Travis Head's 163 and 138 from skipper Steve Smith.

That left England chasing a 183-run deficit after their first innings 384.

- Starc strikes early -

They needed a solid start, but chief tormentor Mitchell Starc once again conjured up a first-over breakthrough -- his 29th wicket for the series.

The pace spearhead delivered a beautiful inswinger that Crawley misjudged and left, with the ball smacking his pads and he was out lbw for one.

Fellow opener Ben Duckett was dropped on 38, but failed to capitalise and was bowled by Michael Neser on 42, his highest score in a wretched series.

Root, fresh from his first innings 160, was terrorised by Starc and Neser.

He finally fell lbw after facing 37 balls for his six runs to the relentless Scott Boland, with the 35-year-old trudging off dejected.

But Bethell proved unmovable.

A single off Neser overhauled Australia's lead soon after tea and the youngster passed three figures emphatically with a cracking boundary through midwicket.

But Webster then swung the momentum back to Australia with his double strike, trapping Brook lbw before Jacks inexplicably holed out to Cameron Green in the deep.

Smith's run-out compounded England's problems, the wicketkeeper-batsman setting off for a single but sent back by Bethell and caught well short by Jake Weatherald's throw.

Stokes edged Webster to Smith in the slips with Brydon Carse doing the same off Boland on 16.

Australia resumed at 518-7, with Smith on 129 after his 13th Ashes century -- more than any other player except the legendary Don Bradman -- and Webster on 42.

Smith flogged Stokes through the covers for a boundary in his first over, while Webster dished out similar treatment to Carse.

But the Australia skipper did not last long, nicking a fuller length delivery from Josh Tongue to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

Webster reached a fifth half-century in his eighth Test with a single and put on 20 with Starc before the big paceman was bowled by Tongue for five.

Boland suffered a golden duck to leave Webster unbeaten on 71.

Tongue ended with 3-97 and Carse 3-130.
06:45 (IST) Jan 08
Score after 11 overs 64 - 1
Runs Scored: 0
140(W)200
  • Marnus Labuschagne 2 (3)
  • Jake Weatherald 32 (28)
Josh Tongue4-0-19-1
0
Overs10.6
Score64 - 1

Josh Tongue to Marnus Labuschagne, Fired in at the stumps, full in length. Marnus gets a bit squared up on his back foot defence and the ball rolls off his inside edge to mid-wicket. 

06:45 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs10.5
Score64 - 1

Josh Tongue to Marnus Labuschagne, A rib-tickling bumper, on the leg stump. Marnus Labuschagne gets inside the line and lets it fly behind to Jamie Smith.

06:44 (IST) Jan 08
2
Overs10.4
Score64 - 1

Josh Tongue to Marnus Labuschagne, Full in length, on middle and leg, Marnus Labuschagne gets across and flicks it to the left of deep fine leg for a couple of runs to get off the mark.

06:42 (IST) Jan 08

Out goes Travis Head with 629 runs to his name in this Ashes series, and in walks Marnus Labuschagne at number 3. 20 more minutes to go for Lunch.

06:41 (IST) Jan 08
W
Overs10.3
Score62 - 1

Josh Tongue to Travis Head, OUT! STRAIGHT UP AND GONE! Josh Tongue provides the first breakthrough for England. Head's aggressive attempt becomes the reason for his downfall. Josh bangs in a sizzling bumper, angling it into the body. The ball rears up awkwardly as Travis Head looks to take on the pull, but the extra bounce forces a thick top edge that loops high over mid-wicket. Brydon Carse tracks back over his left shoulder, adjusts to the swirl, and settles underneath it to complete a fine catch. Head is gone for 29 off 35, and Australia are 62/1, still needing 98 more.

06:41 (IST) Jan 08
4
Overs10.2
Score62 - 0

Josh Tongue to Travis Head, FOUR! Up and over gully! Back of a length, on the fourth stump line, Travis Head uses his wrists to square cut it over the leaping backward point fielder for a boundary. AUSTRALIA NEED 98 RUNS TO WIN!

06:40 (IST) Jan 08
1
Overs10.1
Score58 - 0

Josh Tongue to Jake Weatherald, Slammed hard into the pitch, angling in and around middle, Jake Weatherald rides the bounce and nudges it behind square on the leg side for a single.

06:40 (IST) Jan 08

Josh Tongue (3-0-12-0) is back as Carse has been given a breather now.

06:39 (IST) Jan 08
Score after 10 overs 57 - 0
Runs Scored: 0
214100
  • Travis Head 25 (33)
  • Jake Weatherald 31 (27)
Jacob Bethell2-0-14-0
0
Overs9.6
Score57 - 0

Jacob Bethell to Travis Head, Outside off, on a fullish length, Travis Head reaches for it and tickles it to the left of the first slip fielder. 

06:38 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs9.5
Score57 - 0

Jacob Bethell to Travis Head, Lands on the footmark and spins in from off, on a length, Travis Head rocks back and fends it to the off side in front of square.

06:38 (IST) Jan 08
1
Overs9.4
Score57 - 0

Jacob Bethell to Jake Weatherald, Fractionally short, just outside off, steered off the back foot to the point region for a single.

06:37 (IST) Jan 08
4
Overs9.3
Score56 - 0

Jacob Bethell to Jake Weatherald, FOUR! Runs coming thick and fast for Australia! Flat and full, outside off with some bounce and grip into the batter. Jake Weatherald employs the reverse sweep, but it goes off the top edge, into the backward point gap and races away to the fence for four more. Jake Weatherald moves to 30 (26).

06:36 (IST) Jan 08
1
Overs9.2
Score52 - 0

Jacob Bethell to Travis Head, Full and outside off, Head dances down the track and mistimes his heave across the line. The ball goes off the inner half towards long on for a single. 

06:35 (IST) Jan 08
2
Overs9.1
Score51 - 0

Jacob Bethell to Travis Head, Lands it around off, on a shortish length, Travis Head shimmies a little and slaps it to the left of deep point for a couple of runs. 50 UP FOR AUSTRALIA! The hosts need 109 more runs to win.

06:34 (IST) Jan 08
Score after 9 overs 49 - 0
Runs Scored: 0
000414
  • Jake Weatherald 26 (25)
  • Travis Head 22 (29)
Brydon Carse5-0-30-0
4
Overs8.6
Score49 - 0

Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, FOUR! Textbook! That will annoy Carse a lot more. Fullish delivery, around off, Jake Weatherald gets on the front foot and nonchalantly executes the drive between cover and mid off for a cracking boundary.

06:34 (IST) Jan 08
1
Overs8.5
Score45 - 0

Brydon Carse to Travis Head, He hops on to ride this length ball, on off, and drops it in front of short mid-wicket for a quick single.

06:33 (IST) Jan 08
4
Overs8.4
Score44 - 0

Brydon Carse to Travis Head, FOUR! That has pinged off the bat! Much fuller from Carse, outside off. Enough width for someone like Head to deal with. He presses back and punches it crisply to the deep cover fence to collect a boundary.

06:32 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs8.3
Score40 - 0

Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Nagging length, outside off, played late off the back foot, and on the bounce to the right of the gully fielder.

06:32 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs8.2
Score40 - 0

Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Rises up from a length, outside off, Travis Head tries the uppercut but misses. 

06:31 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs8.1
Score40 - 0

Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Banged in short, around off, Travis Head lines up to pull it across, but fails to get the connection.

06:29 (IST) Jan 08
Score after 8 overs 40 - 0
Runs Scored: 0
410001
  • Travis Head 17 (24)
  • Jake Weatherald 22 (24)
Jacob Bethell1-0-6-0
1
Overs7.6
Score40 - 0

Jacob Bethell to Travis Head, Short, outside off, cut away off the back foot to deep point for a single.

06:29 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs7.5
Score39 - 0

Jacob Bethell to Travis Head, Darted in, full and on off, Head leans to block.

06:29 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs7.4
Score39 - 0

Jacob Bethell to Travis Head, Touch full, spinning in sharply around off. Travis Head covers the stumps and lets it hit his back pad. A desperate appeal from the English players behind the stumps, but nothing doing.

06:28 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs7.3
Score39 - 0

Jacob Bethell to Travis Head, Full and outside off, at 90.4 kph. Head gets forward and looks to defend, but gets an inside edge and wears it on the pads. 

06:28 (IST) Jan 08
1
Overs7.2
Score39 - 0

Jacob Bethell to Jake Weatherald, Turns in from off, on a fuller length, forced out to extra cover.

06:27 (IST) Jan 08
4
Overs7.1
Score38 - 0

Jacob Bethell to Jake Weatherald, FOUR! Welcome to the attack, mate! Pitched full and on the stumps, Jake Weatherald reverse sweeps it through backward point for a cracking boundary.

06:25 (IST) Jan 08

DRINKS BREAK. A perfect time to get a breather as it was getting a lot heated up. Surely, that caught behind appeal and the review against Jake Weatherald would make it to the headlines. The English players are still not pleased with that decision. They are yet to get their first breakthrough and don't have enough runs to play with. Australia are up and about in the chase as they need only 126 runs. Jacob Bethell is summoned into the attack to exploit those rough patches. He impressed the world with the bat earlier, can he produce a breakthrough for his side? Let's see.

06:22 (IST) Jan 08
Score after 7 overs 34 - 0
Runs Scored: 0
104001
  • Jake Weatherald 17 (22)
  • Travis Head 16 (20)
Brydon Carse4-0-21-0
1
Overs6.6
Score34 - 0

Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Back of a length, on the pads, this is tucked behind square on the leg side for a single. And here we go again, Brydon Carse again walks to the batter and there is a heated exchage of words between Jake and him. 

06:21 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs6.5
Score33 - 0

Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, It's heating up, folks! Weatherald again flashes and misses out on the cut shot on the outside edge and Carse is in the batter's face, giving him a bit of mouthful. 

06:17 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs6.4
Score33 - 0

Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, DRAMA AGAIN! Back of a length, outside off, jagging back in a touch, Jake Weatherald tries to play the square cut again, but the ball whispers past his under edge and carries to Smith behind the wickets. A big appeal for caught behind, but not given. There is a lot of yelling and screaming from the men behind the stumps, including Jamie Smith, but when Stokes asks about the review, there is hardly any confidence. But still, Stokes goes upstairs for a review. There is a little murmur on Snicko when the ball is close to the bat, but after checking several times, the third umpire deems Weatherald not out as the spike is not conclusive enough to overturn the decision. Carse storms towards umpire Ahsan Raza for an animated exchange, but Stokes is quick to step in and pull him away. The England captain then stays back to have a word with Ahsan Raza himself before taking his spot. 

06:17 (IST) Jan 08
4
Overs6.3
Score33 - 0

Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, FOUR! A left-hander's delight! That will serve as a real confidence booster for Weatherald. Width outside off, on a hard length, Jake Weatherald hangs back and square cuts it through backward point for a cracking boundary. 

06:16 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs6.2
Score29 - 0

Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Slanting away from the southpaw, on a good length, nipping away further, Jake Weatherald is sucked into the cover drive. He slashes at it but misses. 

06:15 (IST) Jan 08
1
Overs6.1
Score29 - 0

Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Banged halfway into the pitch, on top of off. Jake Weatherald stands tall and controls the pull shot, and drags it along the ground to deep mid-wicket for a single.

06:14 (IST) Jan 08
Score after 6 overs 28 - 0
Runs Scored: 0
100000
  • Jake Weatherald 12 (17)
  • Travis Head 15 (19)
Josh Tongue3-0-12-0
0
Overs5.6
Score28 - 0

Josh Tongue to Jake Weatherald, Overpitched, outside off, Jake fails to carve it away to the off side as the ball breezes past the outside edge.

06:14 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs5.5
Score28 - 0

Josh Tongue to Jake Weatherald, Slammed hard at 141.5 kph, on the leg stump line, waits back and knocks it across to the leg side, in front of square.

06:13 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs5.4
Score28 - 0

Josh Tongue to Jake Weatherald, Nagging length, on top of the stumps, Jake Weatherald rocks back and nudges it to the square leg region.

06:12 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs5.3
Score28 - 0

Josh Tongue to Jake Weatherald, Nip-backer on a fuller length, around the middle stump line, Jake Weatherald presses forward to flick, but gets an inside edge on the front pad as the ball rolls away to point. A half-hearted appeal from the Englishmen, but the umpire stays unmoved. 

06:12 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs5.2
Score28 - 0

Josh Tongue to Jake Weatherald, Back of a length, skidding through the deck, angling into the batter. Jake Weatherald looks to steer it to the leg side, but it nips back slightly to beat the inside edge. The ball then pings him on the thigh pad before spooning towards the gully fielder who dives in front to take it. 

06:11 (IST) Jan 08
1
Overs5.1
Score28 - 0

Josh Tongue to Travis Head, Touch full, in and around middle at 136 kph, Travis Head hops on the toes and tucks it to widish mid-wicket for an easy single.

06:10 (IST) Jan 08
Score after 5 overs 27 - 0
Runs Scored: 0
110010
  • Jake Weatherald 12 (12)
  • Travis Head 14 (18)
Brydon Carse3-0-15-0
0
Overs4.6
Score27 - 0

Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Fuller ball, around off, Jake Weatherald leans on it and crisply drives it, but he is unrewarded as it goes straight to the man at extra cover.

06:09 (IST) Jan 08
1
Overs4.5
Score27 - 0

Brydon Carse to Travis Head, A sizzling short ball, outside off, Travis Head hangs back and drags it across with the pull shot towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

06:08 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs4.4
Score26 - 0

Brydon Carse to Travis Head, SLASH AND A MISS! Not too short and not too full, around off, Travis Head weighs back and attempts to slap that in front of square on the off side, but misses.

06:07 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs4.3
Score26 - 0

Brydon Carse to Travis Head, BEATEN! Wobbles away from the batter, on a good length, on top of middle. Travis Head's feet go nowhere and he tries to drill it straight down the ground. But the ball lands and deviates away to zip past his outside edge.

06:06 (IST) Jan 08
1
Overs4.2
Score26 - 0

Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Overpitched delivery, wide outside off, Jake Weatherald carves it away by playing the expansive cover drive for a single at deep extra cover.

06:06 (IST) Jan 08
1
Overs4.1
Score25 - 0

Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Singles coming easily for the hosts! Back of a length, around off, Travis Head waits back and knocks it through extra cover for a single. 

06:05 (IST) Jan 08
Score after 4 overs 24 - 0
Runs Scored: 0
111(1LB)001
  • Travis Head 12 (14)
  • Jake Weatherald 11 (10)
Josh Tongue2-0-11-0
1
Overs3.6
Score24 - 0

Josh Tongue to Travis Head, Hard length, rising up on top of off, Travis Head gets on the toes and dabs it away to the point region for a single. Australia need 136 runs.

06:04 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs3.5
Score23 - 0

Josh Tongue to Travis Head, And again! He tries to square cut this length ball, which is fairly outside off. But Tongue puts in an extra effort on it and extracts extra bounce that passes above Head's angled bat. 

06:03 (IST) Jan 08
0
Overs3.4
Score23 - 0

Josh Tongue to Travis Head, BEATEN! Tongue spears one outside off, on a hard length, and it nips away sharply. Travis Head goes fishing at it as he throws the kitchen sink to slash it away, only to get beaten on the outside edge.

06:03 (IST) Jan 08
1lb
Overs3.3
Score23 - 0

Josh Tongue to Jake Weatherald, Length-delivery, angling into the pads with some bounce. Jake tries to ride the rising ball, and tries to glance it to the leg side, but misses. The ball goes off the thigh pad and rolls in thereabouts of square leg for a leg bye.

06:02 (IST) Jan 08
1
Overs3.2
Score22 - 0

Josh Tongue to Travis Head, On a length, on the leg stump, Head stays back and knocks it to the right of mid on for a quick single.

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