Alastair Cook's masterful 244* builds commanding lead

England 9 for 491 (Cook 244*, Root 61, Broad 56, Hazlewood 3-95) lead

Australia 327 by 164 runs

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

It was difficult to know what the most satisfying sight for England fans was on the third day at the MCG. Was it Alastair Cook straight-driving a boundary to bring up his double-century? Was it Stuart Broad backing away and swiping yet another bouncer to the square leg fence to raise his fifty? Was it Australia's players shaking Cook's hand at the end of a second consecutive day's play, once again not out? In the end, it was probably nothing more than the sight of the scoreboard, which showed England holding a 164-run lead.

If this was England's day, it was more specifically Cook's day. If a Cook's tour is parlance for a quick trip around many venues, it neatly summed up his Ashes campaign until now: Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, never more than a couple of hours at the crease at once. He entered this Test having failed to reach fifty from any of his past 10 innings, the longest such drought of his career. Questions were being asked about his place in the team.

But you don't play 149 consecutive Tests and score 11,000 runs without a healthy dose of resilience. Cook took a conscious decision to be more proactive in this innings, to play a more positive brand of cricket. The end result was 27 boundaries, an unbeaten 244, more than 10 hours at the crease and 409 balls faced, the longest innings by any visiting batsman in a Test in Australia since Cook himself accumulated an unbeaten 235 at the Gabba in 2010.

More correctly, that was the end result for now. Because at stumps, England were still batting, on 9 for 491, with James Anderson yet to score. Cook and England had batted through the day, building the kind of first-innings advantage that leaves Australia's dreams of a clean-sweep all but over. If England achieves nothing else in this series, denying Australia a 5-0 score line would be an outstanding recovery.

There were all sorts of fascinating figures from this day's play. Cook's innings was the highest score by any visiting batsman in a Test at the MCG, beating Viv Richards' 208 from 1984. Cook began this innings in tenth place on the list of all-time Test run scorers and will finish it in sixth, having passed Mahela Jayawardene late on the second day, then Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and finally Brian Lara with a cover-drive for four from the penultimate delivery of day three.

He compiled a 100-run partnership with Broad, remarkably just the second time they had batted together in 113 Tests featuring both men. But perhaps the most telling figure was Cook's control rate - despite spending such a long time at the crease, Cook was in control of his strokes 91% of the time. Australia had one chance to dismiss him on day three, when he flicked Pat Cummins to square leg on 153 and Smith spilled a difficult catch, but it was a very rare mistake.

His double-century, the fifth of his career, came up with an impeccably timed boundary driven straight back past the bowler Jackson Bird along the ground, from his 360th delivery in his 563rd minute. His partner at the time, Broad, was jumping for joy at the non-striker's end as soon as he saw the ball leave Cook's bat.

Broad, for his part, played an invaluable role by scoring 56, the first time an England No.10 had made a half-century since Chris Lewis in 1991. In one of the least surprising tactical decisions of all time, Australia's fast men peppered Broad with bouncers, but he found ways to evade, survive, and then swing and score from the short stuff. He struck eight fours and one six, and brought up his fifty by backing away and swivelling a hook for four off yet another bouncer.

Broad was eventually out when he slashed Cummins high towards third man, where Usman Khawaja made good ground to take a catch low to the ground while diving. Replays were needed to see whether Khawaja had collected the ball cleanly, and although the ball bobbed out of his hands and became invisible under his body as he dived, the soft signal of out from the on-field umpires was enough to ensure Broad was sent on his way.

The morning had started with Cook at the crease alongside Joe Root, who had 49. Root had no trouble registering his third fifty of the series, but on 61 he threw his innings away with a top-edged pull off Cummins that pinpointed Lyon at deep square leg. It continued Root's frustrating habit of getting out after reaching a half-century; his career conversion rate of fifties to hundreds is 27%, roughly half that of his counterpart Smith.

Still, the Root-Cook partnership had been worth 138 and had delivered England to a position from which they could push for a first-innings lead. Dawid Malan then fell in strange circumstances when on 14 he was adjudged lbw to Hazlewood and decided against using a review, although replays confirmed a thick inside edge. It made Malan the second England batsman this innings to be lbw off his inside edge, after James Vince also failed to review on the second day.

Lyon, who is virtually assured of finishing 2017 as the year's leading Test wicket taker, removed Jonny Bairstow, caught behind for 22, and Moeen Ali, whose disappointing tour continued when he was well caught by Shaun Marsh at short cover trying to clear the infield for 20 off 14 balls. Chris Woakes combined with Cook for a 59-run stand that ended when Woakes gloved one through to the wicketkeeper off Cummins for 26, and Tom Curran followed soon afterwards, caught behind off Josh Hazlewood for 4.

But all the while Cook remained. At one point, Smith even resorted to an eccentric-looking field containing three catching covers that resembled a displaced slip cordon in a futile attempt to force an error from Cook. It worked about as well as the short-pitched barrage to Broad. It was yet another sight to please England fans, a sign of Australia's desperation. But Cook was not to be moved. By stumps, he had a strong chance of becoming the first England batsman in 20 years to carry his bat in a Test innings. It would be well deserved.


More Updates:ABOC-Cricinfo                 

                        ESPN-Cricinfo

Cook's drought-breaking hundred puts England on top

Alastair Cook rocks back and plays a cut

England 2 for 192 (Cook 104*, Root 49*) trail Australia 327 (Warner 103, Smith 76, S Marsh 61, Broad 4-51, Anderson 3-61) by 135 runs

Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details

First, win a session. Then another. Then win the day. And maybe, just maybe you might have a chance of winning the match. England have enjoyed few such small victories during this series, but on a day when they claimed Australia's last seven wickets for 67 runs, and Alastair Cook scored a drought-breaking hundred, and England finished the day comfortably at 2 for 192, it was obvious which team had taken the honors. For once, it wasn't Australia.

Of course, much work remained ahead for England. Australia's strong performance on Boxing Day set the platform for a total of 327, and by stumps England were still 135 runs behind. But their position - albeit with the Ashes already in Australian hands - was much healthier than it had been 24 hours earlier. Cook brought up his hundred in the final over of the day by swiveling a pull for four off Steven Smith's leg spin, and finished unbeaten on 104 alongside Joe Root on 49.

Cook's performance was significant, for he entered this match having failed to post a half-century in any of his past 10 Test innings - the longest such drought in a career spanning nearly 12 years. Dead rubber though it may be, his free-scoring innings was highly encouraging for England, as he struck 15 boundaries and punished Australia's bowlers through point, straight back down the ground, through leg, and even with the occasional cover-drive.

By the end of the day he had not only made his 32nd Test hundred, he had also moved past Mahela Jayawardene and into eighth position on the list of all-time Test run scorers. The Australians shook Cook's hand as he walked off at stumps but they must also have rued giving him a life on 66 when he edged Mitchell Marsh and Smith, standing very close at first slip, failed to cling on to a challenging catch.

On a very hot day when the fast bowlers baked and Pat Cummins struggled with an upset stomach, it took a brilliant catch for Australia to claim their first wicket of the innings. For the second time in the series Nathan Lyon plucked a return chance with one hand, this time off the leading edge of Mark Stoneman, who had made 15.

James Vince would not have wanted to see replays of his dismissal when he returned to the rooms after making 17. Adjudged lbw off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood, Vince decided against a review, but Hot Spot showed that the ball had brushed his inside edge on the way through to his pad. His departure left England at 2 for 80, but Root and Cook settled in for a partnership that had reached 112 runs at stumps and solidified England's position.

Root played an important accompanying role and was within touching distance of his third half-century of the series. However, his inability to turn those starts into hundreds in the manner of his Australian counterpart, Smith, has been one of the key factors in the series.

The importance of Smith for Australia was reinforced when his dismissal early in the day sparked the collapse that resulted in the last seven wickets falling for 67. A no-ball from debutant seamer Tom Curran on the opening day had denied him David Warner on 99 as his first Test wicket, but inducing a chop-on from Smith, trying to force a short and wide ball through off on 76, was a fine replacement for Curran.

It was the first time Smith had been out in a Melbourne Test since 2014; he had scored 445 runs between MCG dismissals. Mitchell Marsh also dragged a wide one onto his stumps for 9 off the bowling of Chris Woakes, and Tim Paine later did the same on 24 while trying to pull James Anderson.

In the meantime, Shaun Marsh had passed fifty for the third time in the series, raising his half-century from his 130th delivery, but fell lbw for 61 to Stuart Broad via a well-judged review from Root. Jackson Bird, curiously promoted to No. 9 ahead of Josh Hazlewood and Lyon, was lbw to Broad for 4, leaving Australia at risk of failing to bat out the opening session.

They went to lunch on 8 for 326 and added just a single run after the break for the loss of their final two wickets, as Cummins edged Broad to slip for 4 and Lyon was trapped by Anderson for a duck. Anderson finished with 3 for 61 and Broad collected 4 for 51, his best analysis in a Test innings since November 2016. Throw in a Cook century, and it was the day on which England's old heads finally stood up to be counted.


             
More Updates:ABOC-Cricinfo                   
                         ESPN-Cricinfo

Steven Smith, Mitchell Marsh heap pain upon England

Australia 4 for 549 (Smith 229*, M Marsh 181*) lead England 403 by 146 runs

Scorecardand ball-by-ball details

It would be hard to imagine a day of greater Australian dominance than this one. It was a day on which Steven Smith made his second Test double-century, Mitchell Marsh scored his maiden Test hundred, England claimed just a single wicket and Australia piled on 346 runs. A day that began with Australia trailing by 200 finished with them 146 runs in front, and with a realistic chance of pushing for victory - and the urn - over the next two days. Remind us why Australia would want to move Ashes Tests away from the WACA

But a caveat is necessary, for it was not a day that necessarily ended England's movement. The pitch remains good for batting - that is stating the obvious - and there is rain forecast over the next two days in Perth. It remains very possible that England will escape from this match with a draw, and as the holders of the Ashes, that would keep them alive in the series. Alive, but demoralized. They might have known that Smith could score a mountain of runs, but Mitchell Marsh eyeing off a Test double-century by stumps? They'd have been more likely to expect the Spanish Inquisition.

This was a day that can best be illustrated by the numbers, and at the close of play, the numbers were these: Smith was on 229, Marsh was on 181, and Australia had 4 for 549. Hundreds were also piling up in England's bowling analysis: Craig Overton, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad and Moeen Ali had all conceded centuries by the close of play, and if James Anderson - currently at 0 for 85 - joins them on the fourth day, it will be just the eighth time in Test history that a team has had five or more bowlers concede 100 in the same innings.

Some more numbers: by stumps, the Smith-Marsh partnership was worth 301 runs, the most prolific partnership Smith has ever been involved in at Test level. And Marsh's score was already the sixth-highest of all time by an Australian No.6. Along the way, Smith passed 1000 runs in a calendar year for the fourth consecutive year, joining Matthew Hayden as the only men to achieve this feat, and Smith has done so averaging 60-plus in every year.

The day had started in vaguely reasonable style for England, when they claimed the wicket of Shaun Marsh, who edged Moeen to slip for 28. It was the only reason England had to celebrate all day. Reasons for optimism were rare: occasionally Smith edged, but his soft hands always ensured the ball dropped short of the slips, and an lbw review from England against Smith found that  James Anderson had over-stepped, although in any case the umpire's on-field call of not-out would have been upheld by the ball tracking.

               Mitchell Marsh roars after hitting his maiden Test hundred ABOCcricnfo

No matter what Joe Root tried, it failed. In the morning, Smith brought up the fastest century of his Test career, a 138-ball effort that showed just as much ability to read the circumstances as had his slowest Test hundred, scored at the Gabba earlier in this series. He continued to be strong when cover-driving, when walking across the stumps and whipping to leg, and frankly playing wherever he wanted to.

Marsh was especially powerful driving straight down the ground and through the off side, and also found the gaps when cutting. He let out a roar after bringing up his home-town hundred in the final over before tea, with a pair of boundaries through point off Broad, the milestone coming from his 130th delivery. His efforts had continued a fine summer of selections from the Australian panel, who have found excellent contributions from Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine and now Mitchell Marsh, three selections that sparked much debate.

And still the runs kept piling up. Late in the day, Smith moved past his previous highest Test score of 215, and had been at the crease for nearly 10 hours. He was just the fifth Australia captain to score an Ashes double-century, after Billy Murdoch, Don Bradman, Bob Simpson and Allan Border.

Marsh by the close was eyeing off a double-century, a sentence which on its own tells all that need be told about this day. The result was that England was sunk, if not in the series, then at least in their hopes of winning this test.


More Updates:  ESPN-Cricinfo
                          ABOC-Cricinfo

Steven Smith master class puts pressure back on England

Australia 3 for 203 (Smith 92*, S Marsh 7*) trail England 403 (Malan 140, Bairstow 119, Stoneman 56, Starc 4-91, Hazlewood 3-92) by 200 runs

Scorecard andball-by-ball details

Four years ago this week, Steven Smith spontaneously changed his technique while batting against England at the WACA, adding a preliminary movement in an innings that became his second Test century. Back at the same ground, against the same opposition, but now as Australia's captain and the best batsman in the world, Smith looked impenetrable as he sauntered towards what could become his 21st Test hundred and dragged his team back into the contest on day two in Perth.

England had started the morning in a powerful position at 4 for 305, and an England Ashes record fifth-wicket partnership of 237 between Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow built the perfect platform for a hefty total. Along the way, Bairstow raised his first Test century in 18 months, but when their stand was broken the England lower order collapsed quickly on a WACA pitch offering some of the old pace and bounce, and their last six wickets fell for 35.

England was all out for 403 - still an imposing score, but not one that posed an insurmountable object for the Australians. And despite some fine bowling from Craig Overton, who picked off both of Australia's openers after they made starts, Smith ensured that his side finished the day in a satisfactory position at 3 for 203, trailing by 200 with seven wickets in hand. By the close, Smith was on 92 and Shaun Marsh had 7, having come to the crease after Usman Khawaja was lbw to Chris Woakes for 50.

Khawaja had scratched his way to his half-century from 122 deliveries, but his next ball was angled in from Woakes and struck Khawaja on the back leg. Given out on field, Khawaja reviewed the decision: there was more rocking and rolling in the third umpire's room than at an Elvis concert as Aleem Dar tried to ascertain whether a Snicko spike was ball on bat, but in the end Khawaja was sent on his way. Marsh might have followed him in the closing overs, only for a chance off Moeen Ali, rebounding from the boot of short leg, to somehow evade both Mark Stoneman and Bairstow.

Khawaja's fifty had come about half as quickly as Smith's, which was fitting for Smith looked about twice as good. There were some cracks in the pitch that provided the occasional spot of uneven bounce, but if it wasn't a road, Smith enjoyed driving on it all the same, punishing England's fast bowlers when they overpitched. He also latched on to short deliveries when he could, and dealt prolifically in boundaries on his way to a 58-ball half-century.

England was not helped by the absence of Overton for a period during the final session, as he appeared to struggle with a problem in his rib/chest region. He had clearly been England's most dangerous bowler during the early stages of Australia's innings, drawing an edge behind from David Warner on 22 from a ball that angled in and straightened, and then trapping Cameron Bancroft lbw for 25 with a delivery angled in from wide of the crease.

Overton might have added Khawaja to his wicket tally if he could have held on to a very difficult diving return chance early in the batsman's innings, and Khawaja had another life on 28 when his edge off Woakes was missed by Joe Root at slip. Khawaja went on to compile a 124-run stand with Smith, but it was barely half as big as the partnership between Malan and Bairstow that set up England's innings.

They broke the 79-year-old England Ashes record for a fifth-wicket partnership, which had been held by Denis Compton and Eddie Paynter, who put on 206 at Trent Bridge in 1938, and along the way Bairstow brought up his hundred from his 185th delivery with a single to fine leg. Fittingly, given the drama that followed the Brisbane Test, he celebrated his first Test hundred since the Lord's Test against Sri Lanka in June 2016 with an understated headbutt to his own helmet

The 237-run partnership finally ended when Malan was brilliantly caught by substitute fieldsman Peter Handscomb off the bowling of Nathan Lyon for 140. Malan failed to get to the pitch of the ball and in trying to hit Lyon over the top, succeeded only in spooning an edge up into the off side, where Handscomb ran briskly from backward point and took the catch while diving forward at full stretch, the kind of effort that Australia needed to turn their game around.

Moeen lasted only two deliveries before the extra bounce from Pat Cummins troubled him and the ball lobbed off his glove to Smith at slip. Another fine catch, this time from Cummins at long leg, ended Woakes' innings on 8 off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood, before Mitchell Starc curled one in to rattle the stumps of Bairstow, who was bowled for 119.

A short delivery from Hazlewood accounted for Overton, who on 2 managed only to fend the ball to Bancroft at short leg, and Starc wrapped up the innings by having Stuart Broad caught at short leg awkwardly swinging at a bouncer. Starc had finished with four wickets and Hazlewood three, and Australia's quick despatching of England's tail had kept them in the match. By stumps, England knew they had to find a way through Smith in order to keep their own Ashes campaign alive..

For More Update: ABOC-Cricinfo
                               ESPN-Cricinfo

Overton strikes after England lose 6 for 35

Tea Australia 2 for 88 (Smith 24*, Khawaja 14*) trail England 403 (Malan 140, Bairstow 119, Stoneman 56, Starc 4-91, Hazlewood 3-92) by 315 runs

Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Craig Overton removed both of Australia's openers during an impressive spell of bowling after England's lower order collapsed rapidly on the 2nd day at the WACA. During the opening session, Jonny Bairstow scored his first Test century in 18 months and with Dawid Malan compiled England's all-time highest Ashes fifth-wicket partnership, before England lost their last six wickets for 35 runs to be all out for 403. By tea, Australia was 2 for 88, with Steven Smith on 24 and Usman Khawaja on 14.

Cracks in the WACA pitch were contributing to some inconsistent bounce, but it was simply fine bowling from Overton that accounted for David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. On 22, Warner edged behind when Overton angled one in and straightened it just enough, before Bancroft was lbw on review for 25 to leave Australia at 2 for 55.

Overton might have added Khawaja to his wicket tally if he could have held on to a very difficult diving return chance as well, and Smith survived a late scare when from the last ball of the session he was struck by a bouncer that reared off a crack and the ricochet nearly spun back on to his stumps. Although there were plenty of runs still in the pitch, there were the beginnings of some demons.

During the morning, Bairstow had brought up his hundred from his 185th delivery with a single to fine leg, and fittingly celebrated with an understated headbutt to his own helmet. The innings was Bairstow's first Test century since he made an unbeaten 167 against Sri Lanka at Lord's in June 2016, ending a drought of 37 innings without reaching triple-figures. His efforts certainly justified England's decision to promote Bairstow back up to No.6 ahead of Moeen Ali.

Earlier, Mitchell Starc had finished with 4 for 91 and Josh Hazlewood picked up 3 for 92 as the WACA's bounce troubled the England lower order. The last man out was Stuart Broad, who walked across his stumps in an effort to hook a Starc bouncer - in the previous over he had cleared the boundary in a similar manner off Hazlewood - and lobbed a catch to Bancroft at short leg.

Malan and Bairstow continued to frustrate the Australians during the morning, including when Steven Smith called for an ill-advised review when Starc swung one in to strike the pads of Malan, with the ball clearly heading down leg side. Malan and Bairstow broke the 79-year-old England Ashes record for a fifth-wicket partnership, which had been held by Denis Compton and Eddie Paynter, who put on 206 at Trent Bridge in 1938.

The 237-run partnership finally ended when Malan was brilliantly caught by substitute fieldsman Peter Handscomb off the bowling of Nathan Lyon for 140. Malan failed to get to the pitch of the ball and in trying to hit Lyon over the top, succeeded only in spooning an edge up into the off side, where Handscomb ran briskly from backward point and took the catch while diving forward at full stretch, the kind of effort that Australia needed to turn their game around.

Moeen lasted only two deliveries before the extra bounce from Pat Cummins troubled him and the ball lobbed off his glove to Smith at slip. Another fine catch, this time from Cummins at long leg, ended Chris Woakes' innings on 8 off the bowling of Hazlewood, before Starc curled one in to rattle the stumps of Bairstow, who was bowled for 119.

A short delivery from Hazlewood accounted for Overton, who on 2 managed only to fend the ball to Bancroft at short leg, and the fall of that ninth wicket led to the extension of the session, which had been on the verge of the lunch break. Australia wrapped up the innings with the wicket of Broad, and the six-wicket session was a major confidence boost for Smith's men, who will reclaim the Ashes if they win the Perth Test