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Captain's knock steers Australia out of storm

As his teammates collapse around him, Steve Smith withstood England's tactics to post his 21st Test century

Australia captain Steve Smith has defiantly withstood a Bodyline-like attack from England to grind out his 21st Test century and save his side's blushes on day three of the third Magellan Ashes Test.

Having helped rescue the innings from a perilous 4-76 on Friday, Smith pushed on well into Saturday and brought up three figures with his ninth boundary, a delightful cover drive off Stuart Broad's bowling from the 261st ball he faced.

The skipper removed his helmet and held his arms aloft to accept the applause of the sell-out crowd and looked pointedly at his dressing room while punching the Australian crest on his Test shirt.

It was a resilient knock from the world's No.1 ranked Test batsman, the slowest hundred of his career brought up after he blunted a sustained short-ball strategy from the tourists in the morning session.

Having resumed on 67 not out, Smith lost his overnight batting partner Shaun Marsh for 51 early on before England skipper Joe Root introduced a strong leg-side field and instructed pacemen Jake Ball and Chris Woakes to bowl short.

Marsh strokes pretty fifty on Test recall

At one stage, England had three fielders on the leg-side boundary - deep fine leg, deep square leg and deep mid-wicket - as well as players at mid-on, short square leg, leg slip and fly slip. It left a sizeable gap on the off side, with no fielder between point and mid-on.

Root later moved leg slip into short cover, just a metre or two away from the pitch, and Smith responded by clipping the next ball he faced through the vacant leg slip area and down to the boundary for four.

While the tactic halted Smith's scoring rate - he scored just 17 of Australia's 48 runs in more than two hours before lunch - it did little to unsettle the 28-year-old and he remained unbeaten as England's quicks got stuck into Australia's lower order.

But the skipper's scoring rate meant he didn't get away from the tourists and his strike rate when he brought up three figures of 38.69 was his second-slowest in the 42 Test innings where he's scored 50 or more.

It's Smith's third century from his past four Tests at the Gabba having also scored hundreds here against Pakistan last summer and India in 2014.

And his 21st Test ton brings him level with Neil Harvey and David Boon, with Justin Langer's mark of 23 Smith's next target.

Which will all mean much more to Smith if his side can come from behind in this game and take a 1-0 lead in the series.

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers.

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Join the ACF

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21