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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Smith Century Puts Australia On Top

A fine century from Steve Smith and another dogged innings from Brad Haddin helped Australia claim control of the third Ashes Test against England in Perth.

Australia had been on the ropes as they were reduced to 143-5 after opting to bat first on a bouncy WACA pitch - but closed on 326-6.

Haddin and Smith turned the tide with a defiant stand of 124, with the Ashes seemingly slipping out of England's grasp.

Haddin had already registered scores of 94, 53, and 118 in his three innings so far in the series - and he followed these up with a gutsy, if sometimes fortuitous, knock of 55

It wasn't pretty but the wicketkeeper batsman's timely tally came off 100 balls and included five boundaries and a six - before he fell to Ben Stokes in the evening session.

Conversely Smith batted beautifully to reach only his second Test ton, with the 24-year-old remaining unbeaten on 103 at the close.

The sixth-wicket partnership undid a lot of England's good work, as they once again got themselves in a strong position only for the Australia middle order to hit back.

England had been gifted the opening wicket when having hit two boundaries already in Stuart Broad's first over, Chris Rogers decided he'd try and sneak a single to James Anderson at mid-on.

The left-hander put in a full-length dive but was still caught short by the fielder's direct hit at the non-striker's end, leaving Australia at 13-1.

Broad came back for a second spell and got rid of Shane Watson, a full, wide delivery seeing an ambitious front-foot drive being attempted. Yet instead of going through the covers, the ball instead took the edge and was well caught by Graeme Swann at second slip.

David Warner and Michael Clarke - the top two run-scorers in the series - looked much more comfortable, with the scoreboard ticking over thanks to 17 boundaries.

Yet their departures either side of the interval checked the home side's progress. Clarke, who after choosing to bat first in his 100th Test appearance looked to be building another big innings, easing his way to 24 before he paid the price for looking to be aggressive against Swann in the spinner's first over.

Clarke, fresh from being named as the ICC's cricketer of the year and Test cricketer of the year, came down the wicket but could only to cloth an attempted drive low to opposite number Alastair Cook at short mid-wicket.

Warner also perished to Swann, with the opener top edging to Michael Carberry at backward point for 60.

Australia were dealt a further blow when George Bailey's attempts to attack a bouncer from Broad only resulted in him skying a catch out to Kevin Pietersen at deep square leg.

England must have thought that things in the series were finally going their way, however Haddin and Smith had other ideas.

Haddin rode his luck to at times, however England just couldn't find a way to stop him, while Smith continued to keep the pressure on the tourists as he feasted on anything short and was also quick to use his feet to attack Swann, twice launching him for maximums.

Stokes finally got the breakthrough for England, with Haddin mistiming his pull to Anderson at midwicket.

Smith, though, brought up his century off 173 deliveries shortly after - and alongside Mitchell Johnson (39no) he was able to keep the score ticking over.

Johnson, who has been no slouch with the bat this series, brought up the 300 with a boundary straight down the ground off Joe Root.

The duo also saw off the threat of the new ball, with their 59-run stand guiding Australia safely to the close - and leaving England with a mountain to climb.

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