Smith ton wrests control back from England

Australia's Steve Smith has scored a brilliant century to help wrest control of the third Ashes Test back from a revitalised England on a sweltering opening day at the WACA.

The hosts, who will recapture the urn with victory in Perth after winning the first two Tests, looked in real trouble when the dismissal of George Bailey before tea reduced them to 143 for five on Friday.

Smith and wicket-keeper Brad Haddin, however, put on 124 for the sixth wicket with circumspect and, occasionally, aggressive innings that contrasted sharply with the cavalier efforts of their team mates and Australia reached the close on 326 for six.

They were separated when Haddin, who has scored half centuries in all four innings in the series, spooned the ball to James Anderson at midwicket off the bowling of Ben Stokes for 55 an hour before stumps.

Smith reached his second Test century, however, and will resume on Saturday on 103 not out with Mitchell Johnson, unbeaten on 39.

"Yeah, it was nice," Smith said.

“Obviously under a bit of pressure there losing a few wickets in the middle but ...hopefully we're in a decent position.

"If we start well tomorrow, we can post a really good score."

England were left ruing a missed opportunity to take control of the Test and bowling coach David Saker was disappointed his paceman had let Australia off the hook by not bowling a consistent length.

"No doubt we let it slip," Saker said.

"It's probably not the first time this series as well we've had them on the ropes to a degree and we haven't finished the job."

Australian aggression

After losing the toss for a third successive match and the chance to bat on what looked like an excellent surface, the tourists initially responded to their do-or-die situation with their sharpest display of the series to date.

Australia's batsmen looked intent on piling on the runs as quickly as possible - they were scoring at five an over at one stage - but also contributed to their own demise with rash strokes.

David Warner's attempted cut only to be caught at point for 60 would contend for the softest dismissal of the day but Bailey (seven) also came close to claiming the honours with a hook that saw him hole out on the boundary.

Captain Michael Clarke (24) will also be disappointed with the shot that led to his departure just before lunch, a wicket which followed the run out of opener Chris Rogers (11) and dismissal of Shane Watson (18) in the first hour.

With the temperatures out in the middle exceeding 40C, the pair forced England to labour long into the extended final session under the blazing Perth sunshine.

"It was a pretty tough part of the game," Smith said.

"They'd taken a few wickets and were pretty high so to dig through there, and get through a few of their big bowlers spells and cash in late in the game.

"The pitch is pretty good, hopefully we can cash in in the morning get 400, 450 and really be able to set the game up from there."

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Australia lower order confounds England again

By David Brett

PERTH (Reuters) - England had boxed Australia into a corner in the first innings of the third Ashes test in Perth on Friday, but not for the first time in the series the home side came out fighting and the tourists were unable to throw a knockout punch.

The rally from Australia's middle-to-lower order was reminiscent of their recovery in the first test in Brisbane and is becoming a common theme under the pugnacious leadership of coach Darren Lehmann.

"It's disappointing we can't finish teams off, which we've got a good record of doing," England's bowling coach David Saker told reporters.

In the first innings in each of the tests in this series so far, Australia's numbers five to eight batsmen average a combined 192, compared with England's 112.

Facing this kind of lower-order resistance, it is no wonder that England are staring down the barrel of a third successive defeat and the return of the Ashes to their fiercest cricketing rival.

"No doubt we let it slip," Saker added. "It's probably not the first time this series as well we've had them on the ropes to a degree and we haven't finished the job."

The partnerships blunted England's bowling attack, which wilted in the extreme heat, and put Australia into a potentially dominant position.

In Brisbane Australia were 132 for six before posting 295 all out. In Adelaide they were 174 for four and 257 five before declaring on 509 for nine.

In Perth they slumped to 143 for five until Steve Smith (103 not out), wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (55) and paceman Mitchell Johnson (39 not out) helped Australia to the close on 326 for six.

"It was a pretty tough part of the game. They'd taken a few wickets and were pretty high so to dig through there and get through a few of their big bowlers spells and cash in late in the game, that was the plan," Smith said.

The Aussie number five added that his first test century on home soil was up there with the best in his career and relieved a bit of pressure coming into this game.

Haddin's contribution should not be ignored. The keeper has not scored less than 50 in each of his four innings in the series and now averages 80 for the three matches.

Add the brute force of Johnson batting at number eight and it is not hard to see why England continue to have a mountain to climb.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)

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