The China Mail - Australia remove Smith as England still need 126 to keep Ashes alive

At the break on day five in Adelaide, Will Jacks was on 38 and Brydon Carse not out 13, chasing 435 for an improbable victory and helped by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon being ruled out with a hamstring injury.

They still need 126 runs, with Smith falling in the session to Mitchell Starc.

No team has ever reeled in more than 418 to win in Test history, but England must do so to keep the five-match series alive after being crushed by eight wickets at Perth and Brisbane.

They resumed on 207-6 with Jacks on 11 and Smith on two after overnight showers cleared.

Smith showed early intent by slog-sweeping Lyon over deep midwicket for six then banged another off Cameron Green as the Barmy Army fans broke into Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer".

After four days of searing heat and sunshine, the lights were on with dark clouds looming and after 40 minutes the players went off as fine rain returned.

It was a passing shower and they were back out 40 minutes later with lunch pushed back by half an hour.

Lyon limped off soon after the restart after hurting himself and appearing to pull a hamstring in sliding to save a boundary. He was sent for scans and ruled out of the rest of the Test.

When Starc took the new ball, Smith began hitting out, crunching two fours in a row, and it proved his downfall when he skied to Pat Cummins at midwicket.

England took six wickets before lunch on Saturday to wrap up Australia's second innings for 349 with Travis Head slamming 170.

The tourists then survived for two sessions, but the wheels came off courtesy of Lyon.

He bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes before tempting Zak Crawley down the wicket to be stumped by Alex Carey for 85, with Cummins accounting for danger man Joe Root on 39.

It was left to Smith and Jacks to ensure it would go to a fifth day.

O.Yip--ThChM