Steve Smith scored a faultless double century as Australia made England suffer on day three of the third Test in Perth.
In reply to England’s first-innings score of 403, the hosts reached 549-4 by the close of play with Smith (229*) and Mitchell Marsh (181*) sharing a stunning 301-run stand.
Joe Root’s side need to escape defeat to keep the series alive after they were comprehensively beaten in the first two matches in Brisbane and Adelaide.
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MORNING SESSION
Australia were still 200 runs behind England at the start of the day but Smith quickly went about cutting into the deficit, clipping both James Anderson and Stuart Broad through mid-wicket for boundaries. Shaun Marsh, who scored a century in the previous game in Adelaide, also looked in good touch despite being unable to rotate the strike with the ease as his captain.
The pair had taken their partnership to 69 when, almost out of nowhere, Marsh departed for a patient 28 as he edged Moeen Ali to Root at slip. Australia’s batting line-up has not shown the fragility of England’s, however, and any hope of a collapse was dashed as Mitchell March, Shaun’s younger brother, quickly formed a menacing stand with the ever-present Smith.
Smith has looked a cut above any other batsman in the series and reached century number 22 soon after as Australia moved to 314-4 at lunch. ‘With Steve it’s very much about the cricket,’ his manager, Warren Craig, told Test Match Special. ‘He just loves batting. He loves scoring runs. Everything else is secondary.’
AFTERNOON SESSION
Signs England were set for a brutal day in the field were evident immediately after the interval – Marsh, playing in his 22nd Test match, cruised to his 12th international half-century as Smith continued to toy with England’s ineffective bowlers.
Anderson and Broad have 800 Test wickets between them but were unable to create any pressure as the Australians found boundaries at will and put England’s 403 into perspective. Smith, the number one Test batsman in the world, made his debut for Australia in 2010 as a leg-spinner who batted at number eight but his stunning rise continued as he passed 150.
Marsh was quickly catching up with his skipper, smashing boundaries down the ground and through point to bring up his maiden international ton. His selection for the match was met with controversy but Marsh certainly silenced his critics with an assured and dominant innings – Australia reached tea on 421-4, taking 107 runs from the session.
EVENING SESSION
Bereft of ideas and assistance from the pitch, England’s gruelling day continued into the evening session as Smith reached his second Test double-century with a typically awkward but effective clip off Moeen. After facing 285 balls and occupying the crease for over 500 minutes, the hosts’ captain had played and missed at just four deliveries.
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The milestones kept coming – in the space of five overs Marsh passed 150, his partnership with Smith reach 250, Australia’s lead ticked over 100 while Smith registered a new top-score in Test cricket. As the day finally came to an end for the tourists, Australia had moved to 549-4, a lead of 146.
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