BIRMINGHAM: Australia set England an imposing target of 398 to win the first Ashes Test after the visitors declared their second innings on 487-7 late on the fourth day at Edgbaston on Sunday.
Steve Smith made 142, his second hundred of the match, in his first Test since he completed a 12-month ban for his role in last year’s ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
Matthew Wade scored 110 as Australia piled on the runs against an England attack missing James Anderson, unable to bowl after breaking down with a calf injury earlier in the match.
England will need to set a new national record if they are to achieve an unlikely victory.
The most they have ever made in the fourth innings to win a Test is 332-7 against Australia at Melbourne, back in 1928/29.