Ashes 2017-18: 1st Test, Day 3- Review: Steve Smith's ton hogs the attention on an absorbing day

A punch to the covers and Steve Smith was off the mark on Day 3 of the 1st Test. Shaun Marsh ran three to become the first Australian to hit a fifty at No.6 since 2012. But the left-hander could not rip the fruits of the hard-earned fifty, as Stuart Broad got the better of him by rolling his fingers off the ball. Marsh departed to hand visitors their first wicket of the day after spending 169 minutes at the crease.

Smith was in no hurry and left the swinging ones and got on top of the ones that was nagging in and around the middle. England soon took the new ball and Tim Paine fell to James Anderson. Mitchell Starc took his aggressive approach to a whole new level and smacked one off Broad for six next. But the entertainment was short lived as he too lost his wicket soon after.

Smith-Cummins make visitors toil hard

The visitors went for lunch with three wickets, conceding 48 runs, with Smith making 17 of those. But things started to improve for Australia post the break. Smith notched up his slowest hundred (261 balls) and Pat Cummins showed some character with the willow in hand.At tea, the hosts found themselves just 15 short of England’s first innings total and importantly, they lost just the wicket of Cummins in the session, who faced balls 120 balls for his 42. Smith spanked the loose balls and made the poms run hard under the sun.

It was England skipper Joe Root, who finally stopped Smith’s 326-ball long fight by getting the wicket Nathan Lyon to end the Australian innings for 328. The experienced duo of Anderson and Broad carried neat figures and shared five wickets among them. Moeen Ali bagged two and the rest picked one each.

A thrilling final hour of play

The final few overs promised to be an enthralling affair and it certainly lived up to it. Mark Stoneman cut one hard to start off visitors innings. But Alastair Cook hooked a well-directed bouncer from Josh Hazlewood only to find Starc near the ropes. Australia needed this one before stumps and Cook fell prey to their tactics. But that wasn’t all. James Vince got a taste of the deck as Hazlewood found an edge to the second slip, to make it 17/2.

Root received a warm welcome after Starc’s bouncer took the stem guard out of his helmet. The England skipper stood his ground and was brought a brand new helmet to see off the rest of the day. Stoneman was at his best, he let a few take on his body and offered his bat on the other occasions. England ended with a lead of seven runs as the momentum kept on shifting on the third day as well. But it was Smith’s masterful 141* that got back Australia in the game.

Brief Scores:

England, 1st innings: 302 (Vince 83, Malan 56; Cummins 3/85)

Australia, 1st innings: 328 (Smith 141*, Marsh 51; Broad 3/49)

England,2nd innings: 33/2 (Stoneman 19*; Hazlewood 2/11)