YOU’RE HEADING FOR ANOTHER WHITEWASH, GLOAT AUSSIES

STEVE SMITH has warned England they are just two bad sessions away from handing over the Ashes — and that another whitewash is on the cards if that happens. Joe Root’s team hardly need reminding of their perilous predicament at 2-0 down ahead of the third Test at their bogey ground in Perth, but the Australian captain was only too pleased to oblige. ‘England are only a couple of bad sessions away from the series going away from them,’ said Smith. ‘It would be nice to get those couple of sessions in the first few days here.’ England’s only victory at the WACA came in 1978 when Australia, hamstrung by defections to World Series Cricket, fielded the equivalent of a third-string team. David Gower’s first-innings century helped set up a 166-run win. And after spectacularly denying England on the fifth morning at Adelaide last week, Smith suggested that the tourists have missed their best chance of winning a Test. Asked about the prospect of another series whitewash, he said: ‘There’s no reason why not. We will have to play some good cricket, no doubt England will come back hard in this game, but if we can win it

would take the wind out of their sails knowing the series is dead and buried. ‘I would certainly prefer being 2-0 up than 2-0 down, so I’m probably feeling a bit more relaxed but the message to the boys is to make sure we are not complacent. ‘We are in a good position, playing at a ground that we have had a lot of success at.’ Indeed, Australia have lost only four times in 20 years at Perth. Meanwhile, the home side are set to bolster their bowling options with the recall of allrounder Mitchell Marsh at the expense of Peter Handscomb.