As his teammates collapse around him, Steve Smith withstood England's tactics to post his 21st Test century
Captain's knock steers Australia out of storm
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.
Awesome. #Ashes #ohwhatafeeling @Toyota_Aus pic.twitter.com/asoMAsPSeV
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 25, 2017
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.
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.
Here's the field for Smith v Woakes... #Ashes pic.twitter.com/lA05AaMKcg
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 25, 2017
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