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Ashes PHOTOS: Smith hundred rallies Australia in Perth Test
Steven Smith led Australia's fightback with a magnificent century after a revitalised England gave notice they would not be giving up the Ashes by reducing Australia to 220 for 5 by tea on a sweltering opening day of the third Test at the WACA on Friday.
Smith was unbeaten on 103, with Mitchell Johnson, on 39, in Australia's total of 326 for 6 from 87 overs when stumps were drawn for the day.
Australia were in deep trouble at 143 for 5, after George Bailey fell in the 35th over, but Brad Haddin (55) and Smith staged a grand recovery with some splendid batting.
Ashes PHOTOS: Smith hundred rallies Australia in Perth Test
Mitchell Johnson was unbeaten on 39. Having turned the first two Tests with his bowling, Johnson was threatening to inflict pain on the English, this time with the bat.
Ashes PHOTOS: Smith hundred rallies Australia in Perth Test
Smith saved the day for the Australians with the most important innings of his career so far.
Smith put on 124 for the sixth wicket with the in-form Brad Haddin (55) before the wicketkeeper-batsman fell to a miscued pull shot from the bowling of Ben Stokes (1-52).
Ashes PHOTOS: Smith hundred rallies Australia in Perth Test
England took the key wicket of Australia captain Michael Clarke just before lunch to reduce the hosts to 107 for 3.
Spinner Graeme Swann struck with just his second ball in the penultimate over before the break to dismiss Clarke in his 100th Test.
With centuries in both the opening two Tests, won by Australia, Clarke had looked in impeccable touch as he cruised to 24, but he advanced to Swann and hit the ball straight to English counterpart Alastair Cook, also playing his 100th Test, at short mid-wicket.
Ashes PHOTOS: Smith hundred rallies Australia in Perth Test
Clarke, leading an unchanged side, won the toss for the third straight match and had no hesitation in deciding to bat first in a Test where victory would see his team recapture the coveted urn.
Ashes PHOTOS: Smith hundred rallies Australia in Perth Test
Australia made a positive start, but hit a hurdle when Chris Rogers (11) was run out by a direct hit from James Anderson.
The opener pushed the ball to mid-on and set off for a quick single, but Anderson gathered and hit the stumps at the bowler's end with the Australian just short of his ground with
only 13 runs on the board.
Ashes PHOTOS: Smith hundred rallies Australia in Perth Test
With the temperatures climbing towards 40 degrees Celsius in the blinding Perth sunshine, the tourists desperately needed another breakthrough before lunch.
Watson then fell for 18, inexplicably slashing a wide delivery from Chris Broad to Swann in slips with the score on 52.
David Warner, who was dropped on 37 during a frenetic first session of play, was also out to a poor shot as he cut a Swann ball straight to Michael Carberry at backward point just after lunch.