SMITH HELPS AUSTRALIA SET ENGLAND 398 TO WIN

Yet another Ashes century from Australia’s Steve Smith, his second of the match, left England facing a huge battle to save the first Test at Edgbaston yesterday.

In his first Test since returning from a ban for his part in the balltampering saga, the former Captain added 142 to his first-innings 144.

With Matthew Wade moving into Smith’s slipstream for 110 of his own, Australia took their overnight 124 for three to 487 for seven and declared to set England 398 to win.

Chasing such a total is out of the question, but the hosts’ survival hopes were boosted by openers Rory Burns and Jason Roy coming through seven overs to close on 13 for no loss.

England will have to bat out the final day if they are to avoid losing an Edgbaston Test for the first time in 11 years.

They must do so on a surface that will offer plenty of assistance

to off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who opened the bowling and immediately proved a much greater threat than England’s Moeen Ali. As Moeen was unable to tie up an end and the part-time spinners were expensive, pace bowlers Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes pounded away on a surface giving them little.

They again did so without their leading Test wicket-taker James Anderson because of a calf injury, while Chris Woakes bowled only seven overs, raising fears over his long-standing knee problem.

In his first Test since returning from a ban for his part in the ball-tampering saga, the former Captain added 142 to his first-innings 144