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Live: Australia vs England, Day 2 of Ashes Third Test from the WACA

Steve Smith, take a bow. By stumps, the Australian captain had almost singlehandedly wrested control of the third Ashes Test back from England.

Wayne Smith
22 min read
5:07AMDecember 15, 2017.
Updated 10:01PMDecember 15, 2017
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Steve Smith cuts during day two of the third Test. Photo: Getty Images
Steve Smith cuts during day two of the third Test. Photo: Getty Images

Australia is 3/203 at stumps on Day 2 of the Ashes Third Test at the WACA, with captain Steve Smith unbeaten on 92 and Shaun Marsh on 7. They trail England’s first innings total of 403 by 200. Here's how the day unfolded.

Wayne Smith 9.05pm: Australia 3/203 at stumps

Shaun Marsh gets a life, but in the most unusual fashion. He turns Moeen Ali to short leg but the ball hits James Vince’s left foot on the full and rebounds tantalisingly up in the air. It’s very much a catch still but as Vince recovers and dives to catch it, Jonny Bairstow enters from stage left and the two of them combine to fumble the catch. It would have been the unluckiest of dismissals but, in the end, he is lucky still to be out there, on seven. Meanwhile, in the Australian dressing room his younger brother give thanks that he doesn’t have to go out to face a handful of overs.

The day might have started out badly for Australia but it has ended well. The 237-run partnership between Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow certainly allowed England to make the early running but Australia fought back magnificently to capture 6/35 to wrap up the innings for 403.

With Steve Smith scoring 92 out of a total of 3/203, the Australians have reduced their deficit to an even 200 runs and while it still is anyone’s Test, Australia is marginally in front with three days remaining. The big question is whether the wicket will deteriorate. There are cracks evident at the moment but they have not yet begun to widen.

Please join us tomorrow for The Australian’s continuing coverage of the Third Test.

Wayne Smith 8.36pm: Smith pushing for ton

Shaun Marsh comes out to join his skipper, which brings together Australia’s two in-form batsmen. By comparison with Steve Smith, Marsh looks a little sluggish but then Smith would make any batsman look mildly second rate. He is in majestic form at the moment, and even with five men placed on the leg side, Smith still picks the gap to swing Chris Woakes to the square leg boundary to move to 84 as Australia reaches 3/184. The question now is whether Smith can score the 16 runs he needs for his ton in the half hour or so left in the day’s play.

Wayne Smith 8.18pm: WICKET! Khawaja falls after review fail

Worrying signs for England as their best bowler, Craig Overton, pulls up in distress, suffering from the rib injury he sustained when hit while batting in the Adelaide Test. He’s gutsy, however, and attempts to carry on in his 10th over but he’s struggling and Steve Smith does nothing for his pain by square driving him through point for four. Not surprisingly, Overton heads to the dressing room after completing the over and hopefully he will be able to return. He has claimed both Australian wickets so far in this innings and deserved them both.

Australia's Steve Smith (left) and Usman Khawaja await the DRS ruling on Khawaja’s dismissal. Photo: AAP
Australia's Steve Smith (left) and Usman Khawaja await the DRS ruling on Khawaja’s dismissal. Photo: AAP

The Australians, meanwhile, are carrying on impressively and posting milestones at every turn. The 100 partnership comes up, so too the reduction of the England lead to under 250, while Smith is advancing on his 22nd Test century at 79. And finally Usman Khawaja brings up his half-century off his 122 ball, driving Moeen into the covers for a single. It’s his 10th half-century, to go with his five centuries.

There will be no sixth century, however — not today at least — after Chris Woakes traps.him in front just after his half-century. Umpire Marais Erasmus gave him out but Khawaja called for a review. Initially it looked like an inside edge had saved him but the third umpire ultimately decided the ball has not hit the bat. His only remaining hope was that the ball would have cleared the stumps but the ball-tracker shows it would have hit the top of the wicket. It’s umpire’s call and given that Erasmus has called him out, that’s how it remains.

So Khawaja’s innings comes to an end on a neat 50 from 123 balls as Australia slumps to 3/179. It was a curious innings from the Queensland left-hander. He was dropped twice and had to struggle for his runs but he displayed so little energy at the crease that in the end his dismissal came as only a small surprise.

Wayne Smith 7.40pm: ‘No chance of getting a wicket’

England captain Joe Root resorts to negative tactics, directing his bowlers to bowl basically sixth-stump line to test, in particular, Steve Smith’s patience.

But Smith proved at the Gabba that he has unlimited patience and will make the bowler eventually come to him. He plays out a maiden to Chris Woakes, not even bothering to play a shot at four deliveries, while Jimmy Anderson tries a similar approach to Usman Khawaja and also bowls a maiden. While it dries up the scoring, it also means that there is no chance of getting a wicket. After all, it is England that is 2-0 down in the series and desperately needs to win this Test, so eventually the tactic is abandoned.

Khawaja celebrates by cutting Woakes behind backward point for four, Smith joins in by dismissing the last ball of Anderson’s ninth over through the covers for another four, and then Khawaja welcomes the first ball of Woakes’ new over for another four, clipped off his toes. The Australians have moved on to 2/149, with Smith on 57 and Khawaja growing in confidence on 42.

Wayne Smith 7.20pm: Oh woe is Woakes

Chris Woakes returns to the attack, inducing a rare false shot from Steve Smith, an outside edge which he plays with soft hands into the ground. But there’s nothing equivocal about the edge he draws from the Usman Khawaja’s bat which flies at head height straight past Joe Root at second slip. Either Root was daydreaming or he just didn’t sight the ball but Woakes throws his hands in the air in disgust as the ball scuttles away for four.

That’s two lives for Khawaja, one, a tough caught and bowled chance to Craig Overton before he had scored and then another at 28. Australia should have been 3/125 but instead they’re 2/129 and Khawaja is telling himself that he now has to cash in on his good fortune to post a sizeable score.

Certainly Smith has his eye on one as he leans forwards and unleashes a commanding off-drive for four off Woakes to bring up his half-century off 58 deliveries. It has been a typically energetic knock from the Australian captain but he would know, more than anyone, that he needs to go on and reach a big century. He certainly has the capability to do so and his conversion rate of getting a ton every time he reaches 50 is extraordinary — 21 half-centuries, 21 centuries.

Australia is 2/136 with Smith on 52 and Khawaja on 34.

Australian captain Steve Smith raises his bat after scoring a half-century. Photo: AAP
Australian captain Steve Smith raises his bat after scoring a half-century. Photo: AAP

Wayne Smith 6.50pm: Smith ups the ante

Steve Smith goes onto the attack, aggressively pulling Stuart Broad for six in the second over after the tea interval. Broad raises his hands, thinking there might be a catch to the man down at fine leg, Moeen Ali, but the ball clears him and the rope to bring up the 100 for Australia. He then takes a single to allow Usman Khawaja to open his shoulders and unleash a stylish square cut to move into the 20’s.

Unusually, Moeen is bowling from the other end and tying up Khawaja but Broad is proving easy pickings for Smith whose strike rate rises to 108 as he despatches Broad to the third man boundary. And he looks like he’s aggravating the bowler who pegs at the stumps in frustration as Smith thumps a drive straight back at him. Australia 2/110, with Khawaja on 23 and Smith 37.

Wayne Smith 6.15pm: Smith cops brute of a delivery

Usman Khawaja might be struggling against Moeen Ali, taking only a single four off him, but Steve Smith is on fire, crunching Craig Overton through cover for four and then helping himself to another two to long leg as the bowlers tries to compensate and goes too straight. But Overton has the final say in the session, getting a brute of a ball to leap off the pitch, smacking the Australian captain a painful blow on the thumb and then rattling his helmet grill. And he’s still not finished because, as Smith recoils in pain, he suddenly realises that the ball is rolling towards his stumps.

Still, it’s the last ball before tea and Smith walks off with a smile on his face, having scored 24 off as many deliveries. Khawaja is doing it tough, having scored only 14 off 41 but he's still there and Australia is 2/88 at the tea break, trailing England’s first innings total by 315.

Steve Smith is struck by a delivery from Craig Overton. Photo: Getty Images
Steve Smith is struck by a delivery from Craig Overton. Photo: Getty Images

Wayne Smith 6pm: Moeen takes on Khawaja

England captain Joe Root has taken his time to bring Moeen Ali into the attack, particularly with Usman Khawaja at the wicket.

The Australian No.3 has shown his vulnerability to Moeen’s off-spin so far this series but at least this time he decides not to go on the defensive and plays a lapped sweep for four to the second ball he faces.

However, he almost comes to grief in unusual fashion as he slips turning to give Steve Smith a third run and gets to his feet gingerly.

He’s already had his Test career interrupted by a hamstring injury sustained in Perth so he understandably is a little concerned. It took all of his concentration to play out a maiden to Moeen. Australia are 2/79, with Khawaja 11 and Smith a run-a-ball 18.

Australian batsman Usman Khawaja sweeps from the bowling of England's Moeen Ali. Photo: AAP
Australian batsman Usman Khawaja sweeps from the bowling of England's Moeen Ali. Photo: AAP

Wayne Smith 5.39pm: WICKET! Bancroft out after review

Cameron Bancroft departs as Craig Overton nips one back into his pads, the West Australian overbalancing and playing all around the shot.

Umpire Marais Erasmus initially says “not out” but England captain Joe Root almost instantly calls for a review.

There was no inside edge and ball-tracker shows the delivery crashing into the stumps and Australia has lost its second wicket at 2/55.

Again, that was a promising innings brought to an abrupt end and England now has Steve Smith at the wicket. He’s instantly into action, taking two off an inside edge, and then stroking a wide half-volley out to the cover fence, before taking a single off the final ball of Overton’s fourth over.

Nonetheless, Overton has 2/14 and is certainly making every post a winner in Test cricket. Australia is 2/62 with Usman Khawaja on 6 and Smith on 7.

Cameron Bancroft is given out LBW on review.
Cameron Bancroft is given out LBW on review.

Wayne Smith 5.30pm: No more drinks, Australia

The drinks break wrecks Australia yet again, as David Warner loses his concentration and feathers a catch to keeper Jonny Bairstow off the bowling of Craig Overton.

The Australian vice-captain departs for 22 off 36 balls and there is disappointment written all over his face. The partnership yields 44 runs and brings Usman Khawaja to the crease. And no sooner is he out at the wicket than he is almost forced off again as he bunts the third ball he faces back to Overton. The big man dives full length to his left, attempting to emulate Nathan Lyon’s Adelaide catch to remove Moeen Ali, but the ball just squeezes between his thumb and forefinger.

Overton is looking by far the most threatening of the England bowlers and he seems to have found a crack in the wicket that is giving him assistance against the left-handers. Certainly Khawaja is not looking confident, playing and missing to one that jags sharply but Overton errs slightly by twice drifting onto his pads and Khawaja takes him for four through midwicket.

Australia has brought up the half-century off 16 overs, with Bancroft 25 and Khawaja 5.

5.20pm: WICKET! Warner caught behind

Just as David Warner looked like he was set for a big total, he’s edged Craig Overton to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow immediately after the drinks break.

He’s out for 22. That's a massive breakthrough for England, with Australia now 1/44.

Wayne Smith 5.13pm: Warner’s WACA record a nightmare for England

First bowling change as Chris Woakes replaces Jimmy Anderson after eight overs and Dave Warner watchfully takes a single to cover to match Cameron Bancroft’s 16 as Australia reaches 0-32.

David Warner smashes one square in Australia’s first innings. Photo: Getty Images
David Warner smashes one square in Australia’s first innings. Photo: Getty Images

Already, England captain Joe Root is going partially on the defensive, with only two slips and a gully and Warner helps himself to a single out to square leg as Stuart Broad goes around the wicket. It looks like the England bowlers realise that they could be in for a difficult time here on a wicket that is helping them not at all.

Broad is attempting to dry up the runs to Warner but one wonders at the wisdom of simply trying to frustrate him into losing his wicket. Warner has a daunting record at the WACA, scoring 820 runs in six matches at an average of 91.11 but with this likely to be the last Test played at the ground, he would dearly love to bring up 1000 runs in Perth before the new stadium is brought into play.

And now it’s time for Craig Overton to take his turn at the bowling crease. He missed out with the bat earlier today but he showed in his Test debut in Adelaide that he is a fighter and there are anxious oohs-and-ahhs from the slip field as he nips one back to almost collect Bancroft’s off-stump. Australia, however, moves into the 40’s in the 12th over, which seems to be the signal for Warner to get a bit creative as he attempts to lift Overton over the top of slips for four. He misses. Bancroft is 20 not out, Warner 19 not out and Australia 0/41.

Daniel Sankey 4.44pm: Vaughan laments England collapse

Former England captain Michael Vaughan summed up the feelings of the Mother Country’s fans when he rued England’s missed opportunity to seize control of the Third Test.

After a 200-plus run partnership from Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow, it appeared England was on the way to a 500-plus total.

But after losing 6/35 to be all out for 403, Vaughan is already ruing the one that got away.

At least, that is, until England’s had a chance with the new ball...

“131 for 4 you take 403 all day .... 368 for 4 though and you have let the Aussies back in the game,” Vaughan tweeted.

Up until this point in time, it’s even-stevens. After six overs, Australia is 0/21 with Cameron Bancroft moving to 10 not out (17 deliveries) with a lovely cover drive for four off Stuart Broad, while David Warner is 11 not out from 19 deliveries.

Wayne Smith 4.42pm: Aussies open up

A cautious start by Australian openers Cameron Bancroft and David Warner, with only one run coming from the first three overs.

They have taken a leaf out of how Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow started the day’s play, just assessing the pitch before pushing on. It’s clear that both Bancroft and Warner believe there are a lot of runs in this pitch and they don’t want to miss out.

England captain Joe Root has set a man on the point fence, Moeen Ali, right from the start, attempting to ensure he doesn’t get off to a flyer courtesy of his favourite cut shot. Bancroft looks busy, deftly taking quick single, while Jimmy Anderson was almost hit for four straight down the ground by Warner ... but it was hit so straight that the bowler got a finger to it and and Bancroft had dive to make his ground as the ball cannoned into the stumps at the non-striker’s end.

But there was no stopping Warner as he unleashed an off-drive two balls later as the ball rocketed to the fence for the first boundary of the innings.

There’s an ominous lack of sideways movement from the two new ball bowlers, but Anderson and Stuart Broad are playing together for the 100th time in a Test match and they know how to contain batsmen.

Still, Warner is looking in ominous form as he moves to double figures and so, too, is Bancroft as he punches a four straight back past Broad to follow suit. Warner is 11 not out, Bancroft 10 not out and after six overs Australia is 0/21.

4.20pm: Back underway at the WACA

The players are out in the middle and Cameron Bancroft is about to face the first ball of Australia’s innings to be bowled by England’s Jimmy Anderson. Dave Warner is at the non-striker’s end.

Wayne Smith 3.45pm: England all out for 403

Some inventive batting from England’s last pair, Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson. Broad has stepped away from the wicket, exposing all three stumps, to hit the ball over mid-off for three off Mitchell Starc. And then he has moved offside and smashed a huge 104m six over square leg off Josh Hazlewood.

Seriously, has no-one heard of slipping in the yorker to tail-enders? Whoops, no sooner said than Hazlewood pitches one straight at Anderson’s toes and, surely enough, he handles it like a top-order batsman.

Finally ... Broad goes for the windy whoosh one time too many and toes the ball up in the air, straight to Cameron Bancroft at forward short leg. He is dismissed for 12 and the England innings comes to a close at 403. No doubt Joe Root would have settled for such a total when he won the toss yesterday morning but there is no doubt when the score was 4/368, he would have wanted plenty more. But the Australians have fought back bravely, taking 6/35 at the tailend of the first session and that has set up the match nicely.

Starc has claimed the bowling honours at 4/91 off 25.1 overs, but the pick of the bowlers was probably Hazlewood (3/92 off 28 overs), while Pat Cummins finished with 2/84, also off 28 overs. Still, it was Nathan Lyon who triggered the breakthrough, teasing Dawid Malan with a flighted delivery that he completely miscued.

The Australian innings will begin immediately after lunch, with Dave Warner and Cameron Bancroft desperate to make inroads into England’s sizeable score.

3.39pm: WICKET! England all out for 303

Somehow, Stuart Broad managed to get himself caught by Cameron Bancroft at short leg off a shot that came off the toe of the bat as he attempted to swat a Mitchell Starc delivery over fine leg for six.

Broad is dismissed for 12, Starc finishes with 4/91 and England is all out for 403.

Wayne Smith 3.27pm: WICKET! Hazlewood strikes

Goodness, the wickets are now tumbling like ninepins, as Mitchell Starc gets his inswinger working to take the inside edge of Jonny Bairstow’s bat and the ball crashed into middle stump, knocking it clean out of the ground. England have suddenly lost 4-21 as Bairstow departs for a disciplined and courageous 119. It was an innings that captain Joe Root would have felt particular pride over because he had promoted Bairstow up the order and was rewarded with a magnificent century. Still, at 8/389, England still would want another 50 or so runs.

They may not get them, however, as Craig Overton can’t control a rising ball from Josh Hazlewood and simply floats a catch to Cameron Bancroft at short leg. He’s a gutsy cricketer, Overton, at least on his performance in his debut Test in Adelaide, but he’s gone for two and England have lost their ninth wicket for 393.

Wayne Smith 3.21pm: WICKET! Bye bye, Bairstow

Australia has another one ... centurymaker Jonny Bairstow is on his way.

Wayne Smith 3.13pm: WICKET! Woakes departs

If ever there was a well-deserved wicket, it has just fallen to Josh Hazlewood. He has put in a lion-hearted performance for only the one wicket but now he had induced Chris Woakes to play a flick shot down to the fine leg boundary ... and suddenly, there is Pat Cummins diving for a brilliant catch.

Woakes had just stroked a classic cover drive to the fence off Hazlewood but when he attempted to treat the bowler with the same lack of respect, he came to grief. It might have been a lucky wicket but certainly Hazlewood should have had several wickets before now. Woakes is gone for 8 and England are now 7/389.

Wayne Smith 3.04pm: One wicket becomes two

Australia was hoping for this and for once their hopes have been realised, with one wicket instantly leading to two.

Moeen Ali has had to sit from the time Mark Stoneman departed yesterday while two batsmen both worked their way to three figures and who knows how much nervous energy he has expended in the dressing room. And Pat Cummins has bowled perfectly to him, short and lifting on off-stump and he can do no more than glove the ball to Steve Smith at second slip.

Moeen hadn’t troubled the scorers and England are now 6/372 as Chris Woakes comes out to join Jonny Bairstow. And he’s not looking particularly comfortably against Josh Hazlewood.

2.57pm: WICKET! Cummins nabs Moeen

Almost immediately, the Aussies have a second breakthrough, with Moeen Ali facing just two deliveries before he’s caught at slip off the bowling of Pat Cummins.

Captain Steve Smith took a safe catch off a a delivery that caught the gloves and all of a sudden, England is 6/372.

Australian bowler Pat Cummins reacts after dismissing England batsman Moeen Ali. Photo: AAP
Australian bowler Pat Cummins reacts after dismissing England batsman Moeen Ali. Photo: AAP

Wayne Smith 2.54pm: A wonderful century ends

Have they no respect? Jonny Bairstow has just played a cross-batted shot off middle stump against Lyon — and only for a single to move to 103. Both he and Dawid Malan are making batting look so easy at the moment that one wonders how the Australians can remove them.

Having claimed the highest fifth wicket partnership for England in Australia, they are now closing in on the highest all-time record, 254 by Keith Fletcher and Tony Greig against India in 1972-3.

But, alas — at least for England — they’re not going to get it because Malan has miscued an attempted slog to cow corner and skied the ball to backward point where the substitute fieldsman Peter Handscomb takes an excellent diving catch off Lyon. So a wonderful maiden Test century is over — 140 off 227 balls. His partnership with Bairstow (110no) realised 237 runs.

2.52pm: WICKET! Malan departs

It’s been a tough first session at the WACA for Australia, but they’ve finally got the breakthrough, with substitute fielder Peter Handscomb taking a diving catch to remove Dawid Malan for 140 off the bowling of Nathan Lyon.

Malan advanced down the wicket and was beaten in flight, only succeeding in getting an outside edge that skied backward of point.

Dawid Malan of England walks off the field after being dismissed for 140. Photo: Getty Images
Dawid Malan of England walks off the field after being dismissed for 140. Photo: Getty Images

Wayne Smith 2.30pm: ‘Aussie quicks look powerless’

The batting records keep coming.

Not only is this partnership the highest of the series for England but it now has become the best fifth-wicket partnership for England in 114 years, eclipsing the 192 scored by Reg Foster and Leonard Braund. And Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow just keep going, passing the 200 mark and then taking the score on to 4-345 after 100 overs.

The 350 is brought up with a neat leg glance by Bairstow off Mitchell Marsh, who moves to 99. He’s been dismissed three times in the 90s but not this time as he pulls Marsh around the corner for a single to complete his first century against Australia and the fourth of his 48-Test career.

The Australian pace bowlers are looking powerless to stop this onslaught and that only leaves the off-spin of Nathan Lyon, who went wicketless yesterday. Indeed, England have markedly changed the way they are playing him and clearly have no intention of giving him too much respect.

Wayne Smith 1.52pm: Silliest review of the season?

Australia opens the day’s play with, frankly, one of the dumbest reviews of the season. Right from the moment Dawid Malan was hit on the left pad by Mitchell Starc, it seemed that the ball was missing leg stump.

Starc didn’t look overly interested but captain Steve Smith was quite animated at second slip and in the end he called for a referral, checking only with wicketkeeper Tim Paine who, admittedly, hadn’t moved to cover the ball going down legside.

Inevitably, the ball-tracker showed the ball clearly missing leg stump and Australia now has no reviews left. Both have been used unsuccessfully against Malan. Certainly there seemed to be an element of desperation about them both.

The good news is that the first four overs of the day, Starc to Malan and Josh Hazlewood to Jonny Bairstow have been maidens. England still has not added to its overnight score of 4/305.

1.42pm: Aussies out of reviews

Australian captain Steve Smith rolls the dice on an LBW appeal from Mitchell Starc on Dawid Malan ... but the ball is clearly missing the stumps down the legside.

Daniel Sankey 1.25pm: Warner calls on bowlers to lift

Australian vice-captain David Warner has given his bowlers a rev up as they prepare to take to the field for the second day of the Third Test.

“The bowlers ... a bit mixed yesterday, you know. We probably haven’t started as well as we’d like up front with the new ball,” Warner told Channel Nine.

Yes we’ve had a couple of early wickets, but they’re fighting as hard as they can. They got it right in patches yesterday, and obviously us in the field as well, we didn’t back them up as well as we’d like.

“No one means to drop catches, but those chances you know win you matches. We have to try and come out today and turn that around.”

Warner reserved praise for Josh Hazlewood, who got the vital wicket of Mark Stoneman.

“I think credit to Joshy, the way he worked over Mark Stoneman there was fantastic. That’s what you need to do on a wicket like this, it looks like a batter’s wicket, it flattened out and you saw when you get partnerships here they’re generally big partnerships. History suggests that as well (so) that’s the key today is the bowlers to come back out today nice and fresh, break that partnership and get into the lower order.”

Australia's David Warner. Photo: AAP
Australia's David Warner. Photo: AAP

Daniel Sankey 12.55pm: Day 2 WACA wicket

It’s a dry looking pitch to start Day 2 of the Third Test between Australia and England. The home team will need to take some quick wickets while the ball is still new, or it could be a long day...

Wayne Smith 12.40pm: A crucial morning for Australia

Good afternoon and welcome to The Australian’s coverage of the second day’s play in the Third Ashes Test being played at the WACA.

There is no question that England took the honours on the first day, reaching 4-305. Significantly, they have never lost at the WACA when they have scored over 300, so that is something for the Australians to consider as they attempt to defend and potentially even improve upon their current 2-0 lead in the series.

Their three frontline pace bowlers have each bowled a minimum of 19 overs and they face another tough day in the field today. Josh Hazlewood was the pick of the bowlers yesterday even though he finished with the figures of only 1-62 off 20 overs. Still, he is certainly due for a change of luck.

Dawid Malan (110 from 174 balls) and Jonny Bairstow (75 from 149 balls) will resume today and everything depends on how quickly Australia can break their partnership of 174 — the highest of the series by England — and get among Moeen Ali and the bowlers. But they looked comfortable against the new ball when they faced it for eight overs last night and it certainly won’t be easy. The outfield is lightning fast and pretty much anything that pierces the field will go for four.

Daniel Sankey 12.20pm: Aussie quicks now fastest on record

The Australian pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins set a new mark yesterday ... but it’s one they probably would have swapped for a few more wickets.

According to cricket intelligence provider CricViz, the Aussie quicks’ average speed per ball of 142.85kph is the fastest on record for any nation, in any match.

It proves there’s still plenty of pace in what’s been deemed in recent years as a tame WACA wicket.

However, it also proves, as former Australian Test player Dean Jones rightly states, that pace alone does not win Test matches.

Pleasingly, though, the statistic underlines the extra pace Josh Hazlewood has picked up in this Test match.

After averaging in the 130-135kph range for most of the first two Tests, Hazlewood was up with Starc and Cummins in the 140kph for most of yesterday’s play.

Now, if we can translate that pace to wickets this morning...

Aussie pace trio (from left) Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
Aussie pace trio (from left) Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.

11.45am: ‘You read how poor your are’

Heading to the WACA, England’s Third Test day one hero Dawid Malan was a man under pressure.

England's Dawid Malan celebrates his first test century. Photo: AAP
England's Dawid Malan celebrates his first test century. Photo: AAP

He followed a promising 56 in Brisbane with scores of 4, 19 and 29 and, probably not surprisingly, what he was reading about himself in the newspapers was not kind.

“Every time you open the newspaper, you read how poor you are and how bad you are,” Malan said after his brilliant knock yesterday, an unbeaten 110 from 174 deliveries that he’ll look to build on when play resumes today.

“It is nice to tick a box and prove to yourself that you can play this level and that you can score hundreds.”

The first century by an England batsman in the series couldn’t have come at a better time, as England must win this test to keep the series alive. Australia won the first two tests convincingly.

“(The Australia pace attack) have tested you in different ways, and not only technically but tested your heart as well,” Malan said.

“It was exciting to walk out there, it’s obviously not comfortable — you don’t really feel like you’re enjoying it at the time — but looking back it was great fun to get through those situations.”

Will Swanton 11.30am: Fixed or fiction?

Writing for The Australian today, Will Swanton laments how the public mood always swings to expecting the worst from athletes ... even in situations like yesterday, in which no evidence could be presented to substantiate claims of attempts to spot-fix the Third Test at the WACA.

Swanton points out that Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland was bullish in response to the mud being slung, saying that based on the dossier of information provided to the ICC by The Sun, no substance to the allegations could be found.

Will Swanton's feature in today's <i>The Australian</i>.
Will Swanton's feature in today's The Australian.

“And yet. You can scrub your fingers to the bone in the attempt to remove the stain of match-fixing from sport, but the public mood has swung towards fearing the worst about athletes rather than assuming the best,” Swanton writes.

“The allegations of spot-fixing completely changed the complexion of yesterday’s Test. Whether or not the weather was fine, whether there was cumulonimbus or not, there was a cloud.

“This Ashes series had previously been remarkable for the ineptitude of the English team. Now every nuance, from unexpected decisions at the toss of the coin to irregular dismissals, was enough to make you wonder whether cricket is still what we want it to be.

“Perception is everything in sport. The perception that two willing combatants are engaged in a sincere athletic contest is paramount. Otherwise, there goes the neighbourhood.”

Read Swanton’s full analysis here.

11.05am: Ben Stokes update

It’s long odds we’ll see England all-rounder Ben Stokes during this Ashes series ... but he’s coming into form just at the right time for when he joins England’s one-day squad in the new year.

Ben Stokes drives during his innings of 93 runs for Canterbury in New Zealand. Photo: AP
Ben Stokes drives during his innings of 93 runs for Canterbury in New Zealand. Photo: AP

After a spate of batting woes — the all-rounder was run out after just one ball on Sunday and scored only two the previous weekend — the 26-year-old yesterday smashed six fours and seven sixes in his latest appearance for New Zealand club Canterbury.

His 93 off 47 balls helped Canterbury to 9/217 in their Super Smash match against Otago in Christchurch.

Coming in at No.4, the Englishman helped steady the ship after Otago has grabbed two quick wickets in the third over.

He eventually fell in the last of the 20 overs — caught by Neil Broom off the bowling of Jacob Duffy, who took five wickets.

Canterbury won the game by 134 runs, with Stokes bowling two overs to finish with 1-17.

Stokes was not part of England’s Ashes touring squad after being arrested on September 25 on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm in Bristol. The Crown Prosecution Service is assessing evidence from Avon and Somerset Police so a decision can be made on whether he should face charges over the nightclub incident.

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/live-australia-vs-england-day-2-of-ashes-third-test-from-the-waca/news-story/b7f2ab9349cf2d7c6a558af86af1d15e