Brisbane: A captain’s century hewn from granite and two wickets in a fiery pace assault after tea saw Australia wrest the momentum away from England by the end of an enthralling day three of the series-opening Ashes Test here, Saturday.
Josh Hazlewood (2/11) snared two victims to leave England 33 for two at stumps and clinging to a seven-run lead after skipper Steve Smith (141 n o, 326b, 14×4) inspired the hosts with a brilliant, unbeaten century in front of a grateful Gabba crowd.
Opener Mark Stoneman (19 batting) and Joe Root (5 batting) survived a furious pace examination in the final overs as the pitch grew appreciably quicker.
With Australia tottering at 76 for four on day two and their nearly 30-year unbeaten record at the Gabba seemingly in peril, Smith dragged his side back from the brink over eight-and-a-half hours of steely application.
By the time tail-ender Nathan Lyon edged to Alastair Cook in the slips, marking the end of Australia’s innings of 328, Smith strode off to a hero’s ovation, having pushed his side 26 runs in front of England’s first innings of 302.
Smith’s teammates inspired and his pacemen hitting the deck hard, Cook was soon out cheaply for a second time in the Test. Caught behind for two off Mitchell Starc in the first innings, Cook was caught for seven by the paceman in the deep when he tried to hook a short ball from Hazlewood away to safety.
Hazlewood then had an uneasy James Vince out for two with a rearing delivery that sent an edge to Smith in the slips, leaving England at 17/2.
Moments later, Starc struck Root in the helmet with a venomous delivery and took turns with Pat Cummins to pepper Stoneman with short balls. Root and Stoneman will face more of the same Sunday morning.
Cummins (42, 120b, 5×4, 1×6) earlier provided fine support to Smith with a valuable knock in a 66-run partnership. Smith, who began the day on 64, moved slowly but purposefully towards his century and soaked up eight successive dot balls when on 97 before Broad finally gave an opening.
The skipper pounced on a fuller, wide delivery, smashing a drive past mid-off for four, triggering a huge roar from the sell-out crowd.
Having completed his sixth Ashes ton, Smith tore off his helmet, raised his arms in triumph and beat his chest twice in a fired-up celebration, one of the most ardent of his 21 Test hundreds.
It helped swing the match back into balance after England’s veteran pacemen had dominated the morning. A fired-up Stuart Broad (3/49), who broke the 99-run stand between Smith and Shaun Marsh (51, 141b, 8×4), with fellow seamer James Anderson (2/50) chipping in with two wickets.
Tim Paine, who replaced Matthew Wade in part due to his better form with the bat, managed 13 before falling to Anderson with the fourth delivery of the new ball.
Brief scores
England 302 & 33/2 (Mark Stoneman 19 batting; Josh Hazlewood 2/11); Australia 328 (Steve Smith 141 n o, Shaun Marsh 51, Pat Cummins 42; Stuart Broad 3/49). Match to continue.
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