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First session belonged to Aussies. No team opting to bat first would like to lose 3 wickets in first session.

Malan gets his half century!

This looks like a pretty good pitch to bat on.

Adi wrote:First session belonged to Aussies. No team opting to bat first would like to lose 3 wickets in first session.

Two in the first session.

Great series for Starc.

140 partnership. I assume this is a very flat track.

England going along very nicely. What was all the worry from england supporters about?

Ton for Malan. Well done lad.

yuppie wrote:England going along very nicely. What was all the worry from england supporters about?

131-4.

For once, England's day. More to the point, England's day early enough in the game to give England the initiative and put them ahead. At last, players convert starts, and boy do England need that.

It's a pretty flat wicket so far, but 400+ in the first innings always puts the side batting second under some pressure, and there is the possibility of deterioration. Australia have to bat last after all.

Long way to go, but about as good a first day as England could have hoped for under the circumstances.

You'd have got good odds before the series on Malan to be England's first centurion of the series. Well played sir. He's been England's standout so far with the bat - 100 here, 50 in the first innings in Brisbane, and although he was out in the 20s in the second innings in Adelaide, the way he played with Root in that night session belied the score. He's making that number 5 spot his own.

Great day for the England bats.

The 10 overs i watched suggested there was nothing there for the bowlers. No spin either so Lyon has been nullified.

Bat till tomorrow evening and all the pressure will be on Australia. Going to be tough to get 20 wickets here, but England have put themselves into a great position.

I'd put my house on Steve Smith making a hundred on this wicket

We have to make 400+ and get him out early if we can

From here i think England will be looking at 500 plus.

Australia have done well to include the extra bowler. Going to be a huge work load tomorrow for them.

An England hundred (shock)

almost as rare as hens teeth

good day for England.
done enough to save the test and possibly give a shot at a win if the rain doesn't interrupt on Day 4-5.

Malan looks an organised player

Seems to look a better option at 3 than Vince, you don't get the feeling malan will get out everytime he drives, seems to be a bit more grit about him

I'm hopeful for stoneman too, he really needs to learn to sway or duck the shortball though