Opener Mark Stoneman, on 19 not out, and Joe Root on five survived a furious pace examination in the final overs as the pitch grew appreciably quicker. With Australia teetering at 76 for four on day two and their nearly 30-year unbeaten record at the Gabba seemingly in peril, Smith dragged his side back from the brink over eight-and-a-half hours of steely application. By the time tail-ender Nathan Lyon edged to Alastair Cook in the slips, marking the end of Australia's innings of 328, Smith strode off to a hero's ovation, having pushed his side 26 runs in front of England's first innings 302.No player in Test history has scored more runs or averaged more than Smith after 57 Tests.@brydoncoverdale reflects on a special #Ashes moment: https://t.co/EcPNMvfec8 pic.twitter.com/gjgEv6XtRF
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 25, 2017
"It'll be up there definitely, obviously with the team in a bit of trouble," Smith told reporters when asked if was the most satisfying ton of his career. "I had to bat some time and dig really deep ... I think it was my slowest hundred, someone told me, had to work hard and be really disciplined and resilient." Smith's team mates inspired and his pacemen hitting the deck hard, Cook was soon out cheaply for a second time in the test.An #Ashes ton that will go down as one of Steve Smith's finest!
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 25, 2017
You can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him! #MagellanMilestones pic.twitter.com/66WldhvWFU
Caught behind for two off Mitchell Starc in the first innings, Cook was caught for seven by the paceman in the deep when he tried to hook a short ball from Josh Hazlewood away to safety. Hazlewood then had an uneasy James Vince out for two with a rearing delivery that sent an edge to Smith in the slips.? There it is, Test match ton No.21 for @stevesmith49!
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 25, 2017
What a knock from the Aussie skipper: https://t.co/P6sH6ROa7L #Ashes pic.twitter.com/FBOxDb431x
Moments later, Starc struck Root in the helmet with a venomous delivery and took turns with Cummins to pepper Stoneman with short balls. Root and Stoneman will face more of the same in the morning, but Stuart Broad felt England were in the best position they had been at a Gabba test in over 30 years. "Actually we’re in a lot of control of this game after three days," he said. "It’s in our hands to bat big tomorrow."Awesome. #Ashes #ohwhatafeeling @Toyota_Aus pic.twitter.com/asoMAsPSeV
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 25, 2017
Cummins earlier provided fine support to Smith with a knock of 42 in a 66-run partnership, surviving for all but 10 minutes of the middle session until he was finally caught at slip off all-rounder Chris Woakes. Smith, who began the day on 64, moved slowly but purposefully towards his century and soaked up eight successive dot balls when on 97 before Broad finally gave an opening.Hazlewood has the Gabba rocking late on day three!
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 25, 2017
Don't miss a moment here: https://t.co/P6sH6ROa7L #Ashes pic.twitter.com/Vvm1OTccLs
The skipper pounced on a fuller, wide delivery, smashing a drive past mid-off for four, triggering a huge roar from the sell-out crowd. Having completed his sixth Ashes ton, Smith tore off his helmet, raised his arms in triumph and beat his chest twice in a fired-up celebration, one of the most ardent of his 21 test hundreds. It helped swing the match back into balance after England's veteran pacemen had dominated the morning.Just waking up? Missed what happened in the #Ashes ?
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) November 25, 2017
No worries.
Catch up with all the action and reaction here: https://t.co/8G6ky7C42h #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/3DETqZ2ZzE
A fired-up Broad had captured two wickets and broken a 99-run stand between Smith and Shaun Marsh, with fellow seamer James Anderson chipping in with another. The Australian number six lasted five overs in the morning before being dismissed softly for 51, spooning a slower delivery from Broad straight to Anderson at mid-off. Tim Paine, who replaced Matthew Wade in part due to his better form with the bat, managed 13 before falling to Anderson with the fourth delivery of the new ball. Starc smashed Broad over the long-off rope for six but the England paceman turned the tables on his fellow quick two balls later with a caught and bowled.England face a battle in the first #Ashes Test.
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) November 25, 2017
Australia have taken hold in Brisbane.
Here's the report from day three: https://t.co/8pS1hgXDKl #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/lrliZMvSnf
Gutsy batting from @root66 & @mark23stone see us through to close of play.
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) November 25, 2017
Full scorecard here: https://t.co/LQAnbgcuBn#Ashes pic.twitter.com/TjYQIuWmxt
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