Fifth Test: Australia 7-290
STEVEN Smith was leading the Australian fightback late on the first day of the fifth and final Ashes Test at the SCG.
Smith was 105 not out with his side 7-290 after being 5- 97 shortly after lunch.
Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin had also featured strongly in the rescue mission, scoring 75 before he was caught at first-slip by England captain Alastair Cook off the bowling of Ben Stokes.
Haddin is the second wicketkeeper to score a half-century in each match of a five-Test series. The last one was West Indies' Gerry Alexander in 1960-61.
It is also his sixth fifty in seven Tests.
The last Australian to score a half-century in each Test of an Ashes series was Keith Stackpole in 1971-72.
Earlier, Australia had lost George Bailey (1), Shane Watson (43), captain Michael Clarke (10), David Warner (16) and Chris Rogers (11).
Reader poll
Can Australia pull this one back and take the series 5-0?
This poll ended on 03 January 2014.
Current Results
Yes, this isn't even a setback
80%
Yes, thought it's looking shaky right now
10%
No, the chances aren't in their favour
0%
No, they were never going to get the whitewash anyway
10%
This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.
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Cricket fans take flight in KFC's Green & Gold skybox
80 LUCKY cricket fans have won tickets to KFC's Green & Gold SkyBox - a restaurant in the sky at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), with superior views of the 2013-14 Commonwealth Bank Ashes Test Series in Sydney, taking flight for the first time today.
Hovering 40 metres above the SCG, the KFC Green & Gold SkyBox is an open-aired restaurant seating up to 20 guests that offers selected ticket winners the opportunity to watch Test Cricket from an unbeatable vantage point.
"In addition to the fantastic views, SkyBox ticket winners will enjoy a complete restaurant experience in the air, with a hot KFC meal served on every flight," added Kubizniak.
The launch of the KFC Green & Gold SkyBox follows the dramatic transformation of five key KFC restaurants across Australia from England's red and white colours to Australia's green and gold.
As a Gold Partner of Cricket Australia, KFC also launched an Aussie burger and English burger to further ignite rivalry between the two teams this season.
KFC's Green & Gold campaign forms part of its 11th year sponsoring cricket in Australia.
