Monitoring Desk
PERTH: Dawid Malan struck his maiden Test century to breathe life into England’s Ashes defence on the first day of the third Test in Perth.
With Australia 2-0 up, England must avoid defeat at the Waca, a ground where they have not won since 1978.
The tourists slipped to 131-4, but Middlesex left-hander Malan calmly gathered an unbeaten 110, sharing 174 with Jonny Bairstow, who hit 75 not out after being promoted to number six.
Malan was dropped on 92 by Cameron Bancroft at third slip off the bowling of Mitchell Starc.
He soon reached a memorable hundred in his eighth Test, he and Bairstow seeing off eight overs with the second new ball to take England to 305-4.
Mark Stoneman earlier made 56, but James Vince and Joe Root failed to build on starts, while Alastair Cook was out for seven in his 150th Test.
On a pacy surface offering plenty of bounce, Australia’s fast bowlers – especially the impressive Josh Hazlewood – delivered some extremely hostile spells.
But they were ultimately blunted in the heat by Malan and Bairstow, who dragged England into a position from which they could earn a result in the last Ashes Test to be held at the Waca.
Following England’s defeat in the second Test at Adelaide, coach Trevor Bayliss said batting was a concern and captain Root called on his side to extend the brief moments they have put pressure on the home side.
Malan answered their call, firstly by counter-attacking after England lost three wickets for 42 runs.
The 30-year-old needed some fortune – he could have been run out had a David Warner throw hit the stumps, and a hook off Starc was top-edged for six – but, as he grew into his innings, Malan showed exceptional judgement outside off stump as well as unfurling glorious cover drives and deft cuts.
Bairstow initially played a supporting role, growing into playing drives on both sides in a fifth-wicket stand that is England’s highest partnership of the series.
Looking nervous in the 90s, Malan played a loose shot at Starc’s first delivery with the second new ball, but was reprieved by the diving Bancroft.
He reached three figures with a hook for four off Hazlewood and, following a muted celebration, caressed the same bowler through the covers as the Barmy Army sang “we’re going to win 3-2”.
When Australia bowled full in the first hour, Stoneman cashed in with clips through mid-wicket and drives through the off side.
He had the handle of his bat broken by a Starc short ball, but that was nothing compared to the barrage he faced on reaching his third Test half-century just after lunch.
As Hazlewood bowled at high pace, Stoneman was dropped at first slip by Mitchell Marsh, took a blow to the side of the head and could have been caught at point by a diving Nathan Lyon.
His luck ran out when Australia appealed for a catch behind off a Starc short delivery. Initially given not out, third umpire Aleem Dar decided that a scratch of sound was the ball making the contact with Stoneman’s glove.
The England dressing room protested, Stoneman walked off, then took a few paces back towards the crease as there were suggestions the ball struck a hand that was not holding the bat, so should not have been given out.
Eventually, replays seen after Stoneman departed seemed to vindicate Dar, but whether he had enough evidence at the time to overturn the not-out on-field decision is debatable.
