Former England player Michael Atherton said while England are still in an unenviable position in the 5th and final Ashes Test in Sydney with Australia looking pretty strong, he admitted that it could have gone worse for Ben Stokes and Co. He added while he feared that England would implode, they ultimately just about held it together with 2 days to go.
“It was a really tough day because two sessions are extended, the morning session and the evening session. One, because of the slow over-rate, one because we are making up time so they look very foot-weary by the end of the day. In the morning session, I kind of feared, you know, we have seen those kinds of sessions in Australia before where nothing goes right. You bowled poorly, you dropped catches, you burn your reviews against the nightwatchman, you’ve got none left. Everything’s going wrong and I kind of feared a complete collapse or implosion. Actually they just about held it together, only just,” Atherton said on Sky Sports Cricket.
“They are not in a good position at all. Australia are in a strong position leading by 130 odd with excellent hundreds from Travis Head and Steve Smith and still two days left. So they are right bang in the box seat to make it 4-1. But I thought England just about held it together in the last 2 sessions and showed a bit of character,” he added.
“I feared a complete implosion” 😳
Athers feared the worst for England on day three of the fifth and final Test but did praise the team for not folding after a horror opening session. pic.twitter.com/3NRA2UxqJl
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) January 6, 2026
Head’s third century of the series and Smith’s first guided Australia to a 134-run first-innings lead over England by stumps on the third day of the fifth and final Ashes test. Head resumed Tuesday at 91 and was out for 163 from 166 balls, a masterful innings to follow his match-winning 123 in the second innings of the first test at Perth and his 170 in the second innings of the third test at Adelaide.
Smith was 129 not out at stumps, elevating a relatively disappointing series with the bat. His previous highest score in the series was 61 in the first innings at Adelaide.
The century was Smith’s 13th in Ashes tests, the 37th of his career and his fifth at the Sydney Cricket Ground. With it, he moved up to sixth on the all-time list of most test centuries.
At stumps, Australia was 518-7 in reply to England’s first innings of 384. Beau Webster was unbeaten on 42 and had put on 81 runs with Smith for the eighth wicket, expanding Australia’s lead.
