England set a record target of 388 to win the fourth Test in the Ashes after another Usman Khawaja century

Usman Khawaja scored his second century of the fourth Test match as Australia set England 388 to win at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Day three began in typical England fashion as Mitchell Starc shattered the stumps behind Haseeb Hameed, who completely missed a straight drive off a full and straight delivery.

Zak Crawley followed a few overs later as Scott Boland’s success continued in this test series. The 32-year-old bowled the Kent batsman out before catching the edge of Joe Root’s bat, getting the England captain out for a duck.

Cameron Green then dismissed Dawid Malan on the final ball of the morning session for just three runs, leaving England 36-4.

Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes were left to clean up the mess made by the top order and they both rose to the challenge. A partnership of 128 off 176 balls put the Three Lions in a more hopeful position.

For the first time, it seemed like the English batters fought back aggressively against the Australian bowling attack as the boundaries started to fly off the bat. Both Stokes and Bairstow hit over 10 fours or sixes each and this nature continued after Nathan Lyon trapped Stokes for LBW.

Jos Buttler became England’s second duck of the year as Pat Cummins got his first wicket of the innings, but Mark Wood proved to be a more difficult wicket for the Australian skipper. Wood smashed the seamer for three sixes on his way to a quickfire 39 runs.

The day ended with Bairstow bringing up an emotional century, two days after the anniversary of the passing of his father. This was the wicket-keeper’s seventh Test hundred as he propelled England to a respectable score.

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The visitors managed to reach 294 before Boland got the final wicket of Stuart Broad, ending the innings with four wickets.

Wood continued his good form as he claimed the wicket of David Warner early on in the fourth day as Jack Leach then claimed the wicket of Marcus Harris to give the Barmy Army some hope.

Marnus Labuschagne was then sent back to the changing rooms for the third time by Wood in this series as the extra bounce proved to be too tempting and Ollie Pope completed the wicket with the gloves.

Leach then bowled Steve Smith out after forcing him to go deep into his crease with his previous deliveries which left Australia 86-4 but Khawaja was determined to secure his spot in the side for the final Test.

Khawaja and Green put on a stunning partnership of 179 together and the former reached his second ton of the Test.

The wicket of Green was then claimed by Leach and the spinner got rid of Alex Carey on the very next ball. He was robbed of the opportunity to take a hat-trick, as well as his fifth wicket of the innings, as Cummins declared on 265-5.

The target of 388 will be the highest total to ever be chased down at the Sydney Cricket Ground if England can pull it off. The previous highest chase was in 2006 when Australia got to 287 against South Africa.

England go into day five on 30-0, their best opening partnership of the series so far as they look to secure an unlikely win.

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