Malan, Bairstow give England a head start
Middleorder batsman gets maiden Test ton while wicketkeeper stays unbeaten on 75 to take visitors to 305/4
PERTH: Dawid Malan’s century and fifties for Jonny Bairstow and Mark Stoneman helped England reach 305/4 on Day One of the third Ashes Test in Perth on Thursday. The tourists headed to the WACA 0-2 down and needing at least a draw to avoid handing the urn back to an Australia side who enjoyed convincing victories in Brisbane and Adelaide. When Stoneman (56) fell in contentious fashion, England were 131/4 as the familiar batting woes threatened to rear their ugly head once more.
But Malan (110 not out), dropped on 92, brought up a maiden Test hundred around 15 minutes before stumps as he and Bairstow — who closed unbeaten on 75 after being promoted a place in the order to six — shared an unbroken stand of 174 for the fifth wicket.
On an excellent Perth pitch which offered pace and true bounce but negligible sideways movement for seam or spin, England will look to press home their advantage on Friday after enjoying comfortably their best day with the bat in the series.
Joe Root maintained his 100 per cent record of winning the toss and Stoneman made good early use of the WACA surface with three successive fours off Mitchell Starc (2/79) to end the third over. Starc was celebrating in his next over, however, as a full delivery trapped Alastair Cook plumb in front for just seven in his 150th game. James Vince (25) initially scored fluently but, after facing 18 consecutive dots from Josh Hazlewood, pushed forward indeterminately and edged behind. Stoneman, having flashed over the cordon for four to bring up fifty, was given lives by Mitchell Marsh and Nathan Lyon, after being struck on grille by Hazlewood.
Australia’s anguish was alleviated as Root (20) gloved Pat Cummins behind down the leg side and Stoneman soon followed, after DRS controversy.
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“I’m over the moon, it’s been pretty emotional, it’s not every day you get an opportunity to score a hundred for your country. I didn’t really know what to do to be honest!” MALAN REFLECTS ON HIS LANDMARK MOMENT
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Credit to the England batters, they’ve had a good day in Perth. Hopefully tomorrow we’ll get a few quick wickets and get stuck in. AUSTRALIAN PACER MITCHELL STARC CALLS FOR AN AUSTRALIA FIGHTBACK ON DAY TWO