Warner tons up as Australia set NZ 416 to win

Australia have set New Zealand 416 to win the third Domain Test after declaring at 2-217 midway through the fourth day at the SCG.

David Warner remained unbeaten on 111 from 159 balls, while Marnus Labuschagne was out for 59 on the last ball before the declaration.

The target would have been higher but Warner and Labuschagne were penalised for running down the wicket twice in the same over and, as a result, five runs were added to the Black Caps' first innings score.

Regardless, the two kings of Australia's Test summer were in superb touch.
Warner was busy between the wickets as he added 88 runs from 103 balls on Monday, taking his tally for the summer to 786 runs at 131.

It is the most by an opener in a five-Test Australian summer, as he cover drove as well on day four in Sydney as he did in his century to start the Test season in Brisbane.

Meanwhile, Labuschagne's score was his seventh above 50 in eight innings.
His 896 runs at 112 are the most by an Australian in a five-Test summer.

Joe Burns was the only other man to fall, trapped lbw to a Todd Astle wrong'un, despite it originally being given not out by umpire Aleem Dar.

It capped a frustrating summer for Queenslander Burns, who narrowly missed out on a century in his home Test at the Gabba.

With the Trans-Tasman Trophy already wrapped up, Australia are on the verge of securing their 10th whitewash of a full home summer with a win in Sydney.
New Zealand are yet to score more than 260 in five innings this series, while the SCG wicket looks set to offer plenty of assistance to Nathan Lyon.

Australia XI: David Warner, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Travis Head, Tim Paine (c, wk), Pat Cummins, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon

New Zealand XI: Tom Latham (c), Tom Blundell, Jeet Raval, Ross Taylor, Glenn Phillips, BJ Watling (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Todd Astle, Will Somerville, Matt Henry, Neil Wagner

 

Dhaka/Mukul