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Steven Smith century gives Australia advantage

Australia batsman Steven Smith records his second century of the series as Australia end day one in control against England in Sydney.

Australia batsman Steven Smith has produced an excellent innings of 115 to give his team the advantage against England after the first day's play in the final Ashes Test match in Sydney.

Australian batsman Steve Smith raises his bat after reaching his century on the first day of the fifth Ashes cricket Test against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 3, 2014© Getty Images

Smith helped Australia recover from 97-5 to 326 all out as Ben Stokes took six wickets for England, but Mitchell Johnson removed Michael Carberry for a duck at the start of the tourists' innings to leave Alastair Cook's side on 8-1.

After winning the toss for the first time in the series, England struck early through Stuart Broad, and they carried on that early momentum to have the hosts struggling on 97-5.

However, Smith put on a blistering 128-run partnership with Brad Haddin to recover the situation for Australia, before Haddin went for 75 off 90 balls.

Australia were threatening to move past 350, but Stokes returned to the action to take three wickets in six balls to record figures of 6-99 in just his fourth Test match.

Cook and Carberry were left with six overs to try to bat out the remainder of the day, but Carberry flicked the ball to leg slip off the bowling of Johnson to leave England on the back foot going into day two.

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Darren Plant
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Australian bowler Mitchell Johnson celebrates with teammates after dismissing England batsman Joe Root on the fourth day of the third Ashes cricket Test match in Perth on December 16, 2013
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