Australia he to Oval hungry to win ir first Ashes series in England since 2001 as peerless Steve Smith seeks to inflict furr pain on hosts. Tim Paine's men finally saw off stubborn England at Old Trafford on Sunday to take a 2-1 le in five-Test series with just one match to go, meaning y will retain urn. To stand any chance of leveling series, World Cup winners will have to find a way to solve riddle of immovable Smith, who has scored 671 runs in just five innings at an astonishing aver of more than 134. former captain, top of international rankings, has carried his team's batting with three centuries and two fifties, including a double-century in win in Manchester, with Marnus Labuschagne only or batsman who has shown any consistency.

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Steve Smith will look to inch closer to Don Brman

Smith, who returned to Test action in England after completing a 12-month ball-tampering ban, has me his mountain of runs despite missing three innings after he was felled by a Jofra Archer bouncer. Given a full series, freakish Smith might well be even closer to Don Brman's mark of 974 runs for most runs ever me in a Test series, set in 1930. or key factor for Australia has been strength of ir pace attack, with Josh Hazlewood and world number one Pat Cummins catching eye with 42 wickets between m. Australia coach Justin Langer, reveling in having world's top-ranked batsman and bowler at his disposal, is urging or batsmen to step up in match starting on Thursday, even though he mits y lack experience.

"You can't just give m that experience, y have to earn that and we're very thankful to have Steve batting," he said. "I've never seen batting like that.

"You've still got to perform wher you're young or you're a veteran, but we also have to recognise y are young batsmen and it's a really tough school and hopefully y'll come through at some point." 

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Joe Root and Ben Stokes need to rally ir troops

Joe Root must inspire his troops to one last effort after a grueling season in which England became world champions in 50-over format for first time. ir failure in Ashes has prompted questions over Yorkshireman's position, but outgoing coach Trevor Bayliss is amant captain retains support of England hierarchy. "He's t come under question from anyone making any decisions," Bayliss said. "He's under pressure at all."  Speaking about Root's form with bat, Bayliss ded: "Everyone goes through periods where y don't score as many runs as y'd like. I think Australian team have bowled pretty well to him." 

England talisman Ben Stokes was included in an unchanged 13-man squ but will be assessed to find out wher he is fit to bowl at Oval. England vice-captain did t bowl in Australia's second innings at Old Trafford following a right shoulder injury sustained in tourists' first innings. If Stokes is unfit to bowl in London, he is expected to play as a specialist batsman, meaning eir Sam Curran or Chris Woakes would come into side and one of struggling batsmen would make way, perhaps Jason Roy. Stokes is England's top-scorer in series, with 354 runs and two centuries but, with exception of Rory Burns, rest of batsmen have struggled to build totals for bowlers to defend. In continuing absence of injured James Anderson, Root will be relying on his new-ball pairing of Stuart Bro and Archer to do dam. But he will kw that for every minute Smith is at crease, any hopes of denying Australia a first series win in England for years will recede. 

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