Smith holds Australia together

BRISBANE: Steve Smith proved the batsman for a crisis yet again, pushing Australia to 165 for four and reducing England’s lead to 137 runs at stumps on day two of an enthralling Ashes opener in Brisbane.

Smith contentedly tucked into his lunch after a flurry of bouncers, some Nathan Lyon magic and a collapse of 56 for six finished yesterday’s morning session and England’s first innings.

However, England’s total of 302 suddenly became mightily imposing as Australia crashed to 76 for four in response.

For the umpteenth time in his stellar career, Smith stood up when so many teammates were knocked over.

The skipper was 64 not out at stumps, his fightback having been well supported by recalled veteran Shaun Marsh.

Smith and Marsh, who will resume on 44, have shared an unbeaten 89run stand.

Smith was summoned to the middle after only 10.3 overs following the cheap dismissals of Cameron Bancroft (5) and Usman Khawaja (11), while David Warner was on 26 when he chipped an unthreatening ball from Jake Ball to short midwicket.

Marsh entered the fray under immense pressure after his eighth test recall, having been picked ahead of Glenn Maxwell.

The veteran tweaked his back on test eve then dropped a catch on day two, while Maxwell posted an unbeaten Sheffield Shield doubleton yesterday in Sydney.

Smith loves to score freely but the classy righthander recognised the value of survival in the allimportant first chapter of the fivetest series.

The world’s topranked batsman and Marsh slowly but surely started to play their shots and halted the momentum England had built.

‘‘The pitch is slow . . . we’ve got to be patient. If we can get a couple of quick ones, we’re right in this game,’’ Ball said. — AAP