Ashes 2017/18, 3rd Test Day 1: 5 things we learnt from the day

Dawid Malan smashed his maiden Test hundred and Jonny Bairstow cashed in on his promotion to No. 6 to stop the rut England found themselves in after a glaring spell under the glowing sky by Australia's pace trio. Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins were all over England with a barrage of bouncers with their average speeds touching 142.5kmph according to CricViz, the best on any day of Test cricket.

The sweltering pace and movement accounted for Alastair Cook and James Vince early on and Cummins returned to plot the downfall of the skipper Root. The spectacular Mark Stoneman, who was England's best batsman till then, fell to a Starc bumper. If it was all Australia till then, the remaining day belonged to England and more importantly to Malan.

A fearless Malan took on the short ball and showed that he wasn't scared to go for his shots. Bairstow joined the party and the duo combined for a fabulous century partnership which altered the course of the whole match:

#5 Cook's woes continue in 150th Test

Cook has had a horrible series so far

Alastair Cook was handed his 150th cap on the morning of the 3rd Test today from Joe Root but if he thought that would reverse his fortunes, he was wrong. Although he did appear in better nick on a flat WACA wicket, Cook was undone by another fullish length ball from Mitchell Starc and was dismissed for 7.

Cook's horrendous for has raised questions about his place in the side. There are rumours going around about a retirement post the series particularly with his technical frailty against the fuller ball.

#4 Australian pacers revel post lunch

Hazlewood's sharp bouncer struck Stoneman on the helmet

The post-lunch session saw the Australian seamers at their very best. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood ran in with purpose, delivering thunderbolts at English heads with venom, putting extra effort into each ball and making batting difficult for the visitors. There was relentless pressure as Hazlewood sent down some absolute peaches outside off-stump before smacking Stoneman on the helmet with a short delivery.

Joe Root, meanwhile, was undone by Pat Cummins' nippy short ball down the leg-side. Mitchell Starc then roared in, replacing Hazlewood, and sent down some terrific short balls too. Stoneman, who had appeared the most solid of England's batters, got a beauty of a bumper from Starc. Upon review, though there was no conclusive evidence to overturn the decision, Stoneman was given out.

#3 Stoneman's terrific knock and unlucky dismissal

Stoneman played some breathtaking shots in his half-century

Mark Stoneman was a sight to behold on day 1 of the third Test at the WACA. He hit Mitchell Starc for a hat-trick of boundaries early in his innings and looked in sublime touch throughout. Even as Alastair Cook and James Vince fell cheaply, Stoneman appeared unperturbed and unleashed some pristine cover drives to disturb the rhythm of the Australian seamers.

In the post-lunch session, the Aussie bowlers were right on the money and kept testing him with the short ball. Stoneman was up to the task and kept everything out even after he was smashed on the helmet by Hazlewood's bumper.

When Starc finally produced an unplayable bouncer, he swayed out of the way but Australia thought there was a glove on the way to Paine and reviewed the on-field call of not-out. Though there was no conclusive evidence to overturn the call, the third umpire ruled Stoneman out much to the dismay of the England dressing room who appeared enraged by the decision.

#2 Dawid Malan takes on the trio

Malan looked in ominous touch and importantly carried on from his start

Dawid Malan is a poor soul. He received a rip-roaring yorker from Kagiso Rabada on his Test debut and had to deal with a rampant Pat Cummins when he landed in Australia. The barrage didn't stop as he walked in to bat on day 1 of the third Ashes Test with the Aussie bowlers running riot post lunch.

Malan was peppered with the short stuff relentlessly but then shifted his mindset and started to take on the short ball. Though he edged the first few, things got rosier as he got into his groove. A few overs later, Australia had backed away from the tactic and bowled fuller. Though Malan struggled every now and then, he managed to stick through to make a maiden Test hundred.

#1 Johnny Bairstow revels at no.6

Bairstow stood his ground and made a fine half-century

England had gone into the first two Tests with Moeen Ali batting above Johnny Bairstow for a reason only they understood. That changed at Perth, though, with Bairstow brought back to no.6 and the wicket-keeper batsman immediately justified the move with a valiant half-century.

In the company of a sturdy Dawid Malan, Bairstow looked more solid than ever and made the Aussie bowlers sweat under the scorching sun in the final two sessions. More than his flamboyant self, Bairstow was restrained and let Malan take on the bowling while he ambled along at a steady rate. The century partnership changed the course of the day and have England some respite after two embarassing losses.