Ashes 2017/18, 3rd Test: Hits and misses

The Steve Smith-led Australia reclaimed the Ashes with a crushing win by an innings and 41 runs over England in third Test at the WACA, a ground where the visitors have not won since 1978.

England, who have now lost seven away Tests in a row, are on course for the third 5-0 whitewash in four visits and for the fourth time in the past five visits are 3-0 down after three matches.

The fourth Test will be played from December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Now, let's have a look at the hits and misses from the third Test as the iconic Ashes urn returns to Australia.

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Miss: Stuart Broad

Before the start of the ongoing Ashes series, Australian spinner Nathan Lyon had predicted that the series may end careers of England players and it seems that the prediction might just come true for Stuart Broad.

On Sunday, Australia declared at 662/9 and Broad, who dismantled the Aussies with figures of 8-15 at Trent Bridge during the 2015 Ashes, registered the worst-ever figures of his 112-Test career.

The 31-year-old, whose last five-wicket Test haul came 22 appearances ago in January 2016 at Johannesburg, went 35 overs without a wicket (35-3-142-0) and recorded the second worst figures in Ashes history.

Broad's horrific numbers at WACA were also the 12th worst figures by a fast bowler in Test history.

Miss: Alastair Cook

Alastair Cook, who is averaging in the 20s since his record 243 against the West Indies, has been desperately out of form since the time he landed in Australia.

Cook's 150th Test appearance resulted in two cheap dismissals at WACA, which has become something of a pattern for the former England captain in the ongoing Ashes series.

England's most-capped Test player has a series aggregate of 83 runs in six completed innings.

With an average of 13 in this series and the highest score of 37 from his past 10 Test innings, Cook has emerged as a walking wicket for Australia and a serious worry for England, who are desperate for good starts.

Surprisingly, it was also the first time in his England Test career that Cook has gone ten innings without a fifty.

Hit: Dawid Malan

On the first day of the third Ashes Test in Perth, England slipped to 131/4 but the left-hander from Middlesex struck his maiden Test ton to keep the visitors' hopes alive in the series.

Dawid Malan, who was dropped on 92 by Cameron Bancroft at third slip off the bowling of Mitchell Starc, calmly gathered 140 runs, sharing a 237-run partnership with Jonny Bairstow, who hit 119 after being promoted to number six.

Playing in his eighth Test, Malan took on the short ball and dragged England into a position from which they could earn a result in the last Ashes Test to be held at the WACA.

Even during England's second outing, Malan played a fine inning of 54 under pressure but it was not enough to save his team from a certain defeat.

With 10 years of county experience and more than 8,000 first-class runs to his name, Malan could become a regular number five for England after his heroic innings at Perth.

Hit: Mitchell Marsh

Mitchell Marsh had a lot to prove when he walked out to bat at the WACA after dropping a simple catch and bowling poorly during the England innings.

However, he did not crumble under the pressure and made sure that skipper Steve Smith does not run out of batting partners at Perth.

Smith and Marsh dominated England with a fifth-wicket stand of 301, the highest partnership for Australia against England at the WACA.

Marsh silenced all his critics as he romped on to 181, his maiden Test ton on his home ground, before getting dismissed by James Anderson early on Day 4.

Almost 70 percent of Marsh's runs came in boundaries straight down the ground as he completely dominated James Anderson and Stuart Broad, the most productive Test pace pairing ever, throughout an innings that will go down as one of the most memorable in Ashes history.

Hit: Steven Smith

Steven Smith recorded his career-best Test score of 239 as Australia posted their highest total in a home Ashes Test innings, declaring at 662/9 on Sunday.

With his second double-century and seventh against England, the Australian skipper passed 1,000 Test runs for the year.

Smith achieved the third highest score by an Australian captain in an Ashes Test, having faced 399 deliveries as he led his team to an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

The 28-year-old already has 22 centuries to his name from 107 Test outings.

Only Don Bradman (58 innings) and Sunil Gavaskar (101 innings) have reached 22 Test centuries in fewer innings.

Smith's current Test batting average of 60.40 is also second only to the legendary Bradman.