Steve Smith will require an unbeaten score of nine or more in the second innings of the fifth Ashes Test to break an 88-year Don Bradman record after England finally found a way to dismiss the Australian captain.
Smith became just Moeen Ali's fourth scalp of the series when he mistimed one back to the English offspinner for 83 late on the third morning of the SCG Test.
Smith's dismissal leaves his average at 137.4 for the series, just shy of Don Bradman's record Ashes mark of 139.14 in 1930.
After he went to stumps at 44 not out on day two, Smith looked largely untroubled before his dismissal as England employed a myriad of tactics against him during his 188-run third-wicket partnership with centurion Usman Khawaja on Saturday.
Smith's dismissal also stopped him just 17 runs short of his fourth century for the series, a feat only achieved by Bradman in the 1930 Test series.
Regardless, Smith's partnership with Khawaja took Australia to relative safety, with the score at 3-274 in reply to England's 346 when Ali snared the catch low to the ground.
The 28-year-old has broken records at will this summer with his 687 series runs.
He became the equal-second quickest to reach 6,000 Test runs on Friday, alongside Garfield Sobers in 111 innings and only behind Bradman's 68.
In doing so, he also became the first Australian to pass the mark before his 30th birthday - overtaking Ricky Ponting as the youngest.
He also passed 2,000 career Ashes runs on Saturday, doing so in 23 Tests and with the third best average behind both Bradman and Steve Waugh.
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