Steve Smith shows his class yet again while England collapse after record stand in third Ashes Test

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  • Smith is looking good for his 22nd Test ton.

    After England had taken the honours on the opening day of the third Ashes Test at Perth, hosts Australia came back strongly on the second day.

    The visitors continued from their overnight score of 305-4 but could not make a greater indent on Friday as they were bowled out for 412 runs.

    The home team was at 203-3 when stumps were called on day two.

    Here, we look at the good and bad of second day’s play as the momentum swing in favour of Steve Smith’s men.

    TWO GOOD

    STEVE SMITH SHOWS HIS CLASS YET AGAIN

    Is there any stopping Smith in the form that he is in? Friday’s performance would suggest there is not. The Aussie skipper once again seized the initiative right back from England with his innings as he had done in the opening Test at Brisbane.

    Australia were in a mini-spot of bother after openers David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were dismissed in quick succession. Instead of going into preservation mode, Smith, along with Usman Khawaja, inflicted a counter-punch on England as they upped their scoring rate.

    The 28-year-old looked in fine knick throughout his innings as he manoeuvred the ball to all parts of the ground with his unorthodox stroke-play. The skipper batted at a strike-rate above 80 for most of his innings as he brought up his 22nd Test fifty.

    Smith is looking good for his 22nd Test ton in only 108 innings and his penchant for the daddy centuries is looking ominous for the tourists.

    Smith's counter-attacking innings put England under pressure.

    Smith’s counter-attacking innings put England under pressure.

    JONNY BAIRSTOW BANISHES PERTH DEMONS

    England wicket-keeper Bairstow will not have fond memories of the last time he was at Perth. It was at a bar in the western Australian city that his infamous ‘head-butting’ incident involving Bancroft occurred.

    On Friday morning, the 28-year-old ensured that Perth will hold a place in his heart for all the right reasons as he notched up his fourth Test hundred and the first in an Ashes series. The right-handed Yorkshire batsman made the most of his promotion from number seven to six and his partnership with Dawid Malan was the cornerstone of England’s healthy first-innings total.

    The 237-run partnership the two put up is the record fifth-wicket stand for England in an Ashes Test.

    Bairstow brought up his maiden Ashes ton.

    Bairstow brought up his maiden Ashes ton.

    TWO BAD

    ENGLAND COLLAPSE AFTER RECORD STAND

    Malan and Bairstow had England dreaming of a massive first innings total and 500 looked to be on the cards in the morning.

    With Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes and Craig Overton still to bat, Joe Root’s men had the platform set to go big. However, once Malan was dismissed by Nathan Lyon, England fell like a house of cards. Ali, Woakes and Overton failed to get into double figures as the hosts cranked up the pressure.

    England lost their final six wickets for just 35 runs, underlining the advantage they had thrown away. A total of 500 might have put the hosts under intense pressure but falling almost 100 runs short of that meant Australia went into bat with all the momentum.

    England's lower-order fell in a heap.

    England’s lower-order fell in a heap.

    STUART BROAD FAILS TO MAKE IMPACT

    Broad might have bowled only overs on the day but his impact was such that he could have bowled 20 more and not been any better.

    Along with James Anderson, the 31-year-old is the leader of the English bowling attack but his Ashes series has been less than satisfactory so far.

    On Friday he failed to insert any pressure on the Australian batsman and leaked runs aplenty. With an economy rate  well over 4, Broad allowed the Aussies to get away to a rapid start.

    He has picked up five wickets in total over the series so far but England would have expected much more from their senior bowler when they departed for the tour.

    Broad leaked runs while going wicket-less.

    Broad leaked runs while going wicket-less.

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