England's Resilient Response After Australia's Dominant First Innings

Day 4 Highlights of the Fifth Test

On January 7, in Sydney, Australia, the England cricket team, led by Ben Stokes, began their comeback after Australia posted a formidable 567 runs in their first innings during the ongoing fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

By the time Lunch arrived on Day 4, England had reached 80 runs for the loss of one wicket in their second innings, still trailing by 103 runs. Opener Ben Duckett contributed 40 runs off 48 balls, hitting six boundaries, while Jacob Bethell remained not out on 28 runs from 52 balls, including four fours.

The day commenced with Australia at 518 for 7 in 124 overs, having a 134-run lead over England's first innings total of 384. Steve Smith, who was unbeaten on 129 runs from 205 balls, and Beau Webster, who scored 42 runs off 58 balls, were at the crease.

Australia extended their overnight score by adding 49 runs before being all out for 567, thus establishing a lead of 183 runs. Captain Steve Smith finished with 138 runs off 220 balls, featuring 16 fours and one six, while Beau Webster added 71 runs from 87 balls, including seven boundaries. Travis Head was the standout performer with 163 runs off 166 balls, hitting 24 fours and one six.

England's second innings began poorly as opener Zak Crawley was dismissed for just one run in the first over by Mitchell Starc. However, Duckett and Bethell managed to stabilize the innings, reaching Lunch at 80 for 1.

In their first innings, England had been bowled out for 384 runs in 97.3 overs after choosing to bat first. The opening pair of Zak Crawley (16 runs off 29 balls) and Ben Duckett (27 runs off 24 balls) put together a 35-run partnership. Jacob Bethell scored 10 runs off 23 balls before being dismissed.

Harry Brook made a significant contribution with 84 runs off 97 balls, while Joe Root's impressive 160 runs off 242 balls included 15 fours, forming a crucial 169-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Root also added a 94-run partnership with wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who scored 46 runs off 76 balls, helping England surpass the 350-run mark in their first innings. For Australia, Mitchell Starc (2 wickets for 93 runs), Michael Neser (4 wickets for 60 runs), and Scott Boland (2 wickets for 85 runs) were the key wicket-takers.

Brief Scores: England: 384, 80/1 (Joe Root 160, Harry Brook 84, Michael Neser 4/60, Scott Boland 2/75) vs Australia: 567 (Travis Head 165, Steve Smith 136, Brydon Carse 3/30).