Ashes 2017/18, 3rd Test Day 2: 5 things we learnt from the day's play

Australia's seam trio ran riot to reduce England to 403, their last six wickets falling for a meagre 35 runs. Steven Smith then responded with a fabulous, aggressive 92 to take Australia to a dominant position by stumps on day 2. Although it seems like it was all Australia, England certainly enjoyed their moments on the day.

Jonny Bairstow slammed a hundred before falling to Starc's inswinger while Craig Overton worried Australia with a scintillating spell close to tea. He accounted for David Warner and Cameron Bancroft before Smith took center-stage and counter-attacked his way to a valiant 92.

Here are five of the biggest moments from the day's play:

#5 Jonny Bairstow smashes a ton

Bairstow helped himself to a hundred

Perth has been friendly to England in the last few years. In their last two Ashes series in Australia (in 2013/14 and this time around), there have been a total of just three hundreds by English batsmen and all of them have come at Perth. If it was Ben Stokes in 2013, it was Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow this time around and their 237 run association gave England a 400+ total.

Bairstow was in great touch on day 1 and continued in the same vein in the first session on day 2. Some pristine shots off his bat ensured that his century came in no time. It was the first by an English keeper in Australia since Matt Prior slammed one in 2011.

#4 Australia scythe through England's lower order

Starc once again cleaned up the lower order

Josh Hazlewood resorted to bouncers while Starc nailed the fuller length balls as England lost their way after the dismissal of Dawid Malan. They lost six wickets for 35 runs as Australia once again ran through the lower order with ease.

Starc cleaned up Bairstow with a fuller length ball that swung back in and took the inside edge after Cummins bounced out Moeen Ali for a two-ball duck. A couple of short balls from Hazlewood accounted for Woakes and Overton and Starc sent Broad on his way, bowling England out for 403 in the process.

#3 Overton's burst

Overton hit Smith's grill on the last ball before tea

Craig Overton wasn't even in the England squad for the first Test. But two Tests later, he has become a vital cog in their bowling attack. Apart from getting rid of David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, Overton had Khawaja and Smith in all sorts of trouble before the tea break.

Starting off with a much fuller length than Anderson and Broad, Overton hit the right channels and produced an outside edge off Warner's bat. Before Australia could get a foothold back in the game, Bancroft, who appeared in good touch, received another corker from the seamer. Overton also hit Smith on the helmet and appeared the best of the England bowlers in the second session.

#2 Khawaja weathers storm to notch up half-century

Khawaja was susceptible initially but went on to make a half-century

Usman Khawaja walked out to bat when Craig Overton and Chris Woakes had their tails up. While Overton kept beating his bat, Root turned to Moeen Ali, his tormentor in this series, to bowl from the other end. Moeen kept drifting it into Khawaja's pads and had the southpaw in trouble although he managed to hang on.

Once Bancroft departed, a positive-minded Steven Smith joined him at the wicket. Aided by Smith's free-scoring, Khawaja settled in. Slowly the back-foot punches and pull shots started creeping in and before you knew it, Khawaja was in his zone, looking quite comfortable. But Chris Woakes returned to the attack soon after the southpaw had completed his half-century and trapped him in front.

#1 Steven Smith counter-attacks

Smith's delightful strokes ensured Australia remained in contention

Right when England's bowlers were firing on all cylinders, Steven Smith walked out to a rousing welcome. He proceeded to suck the life out of the English bowling with his outrageous repertoire of shots, bullying them with his footwork, timing, shot selection and manipulation of the field. At one point in time, before the tea break, Overton looked to have him in a spot of bother, but the Aussie skipper survived and found his rhythm soon after.

By the evening session, he was slamming Broad all around the park and taking on Moeen with his fleet-footedness. The more England attacked, the more Smith countered. The visitors had seen enough of Smith at Brisbane but today's knock was even more special because of the way he changed the course of the match. He remained unbeaten on 92 at the close of play.