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

A daddy hundred from Usman Khawaja and a sturdy 98* from Shaun Marsh took Australia to the lead on day 3 of a sluggish Test match at Sydney. Both the left-handers were more than content to block away and score only when necessary leading to a rather orthodox day of Test cricket. Things brightened up as Mitchell Marsh walked out to the middle and after settling down unleashed his wide array of strokes.

Five of Australia's six batsmen to bat made scores of 50 or more on a batting paradise at Sydney. Moeen Ali and Mason Crane bowled well for the English on a slightly turning surface but couldn't break Australia's dogged resistance led by Usman Khawaja. Eventually, the day ended with the hosts firmly in the driving seat.

#5 Usman Khawaja smashes maiden Ashes hundred

Australia's Usman Khawaja was in sizzling touch on day 3

Usman Khawaja had appeared mediocre in this series thus far but all it takes for good batsmen to turnaround their fortunes is one knock and Khawaja's came with barely two innings remaining in the whole series. The flair-filled southpaw played some attractive shots on day 2 and had gone into the nineties by stumps.

He reached his landmark, yet again off Moeen Ali, a sign that he has overcome his woes against the off-break bowler. With England taking the new ball shortly, Khawaja was a picture of tranquillity, negotiating James Anderson and Stuart Broad with his dogged dead bat and latching onto anything loose and wide. He raced to 171 before he eventually fell to debutant Mason Crane.

#4 Steven Smith's Ashes gets better

Steven Smith has been immaculate with the bat in the series

In the future, if ever a series is tried to be identified on the basis of one player alone, the 2017/18 Ashes should go under the category of Steven Smith. The Australian skipper has made batting look effortless all through the series in his Bradman-esque run. He has more than 700 runs in the series and rarely appeared perturbed by the England bowlers.

If the visitors thought they had seen the last of Smith after Australia's Ashes win, they did not take into account his sheer hunger and that Sydney was his home ground. The flamboyant batsman raced past his half-century and looked set for a ton when the 188 run stand between him and Khawaja was broken. Surprisingly, it was Smith who chopped back a catch to Moeen Ali and departed before he could get to the three-figure mark.

#3 Mason Crane and Moeen Ali impress

The rookie leg-spinner was impressive with the ball on day 3

With the SCG supporting a lot of spin and sideways movement, Moeen Ali redeemed himself a tad with a decent showing on day 3. The off-spinner hit his channels, spun the ball well and created trouble although Usman Khawaja managed to evade him.

Mason Crane, the young leg-spinner, on the other hand, nearly had Usman Khawaja leg before wicket with a ball that turned into the southpaw. England promptly reviewed when it was given not out and the replays showed the ball would indeed have crashed onto the stumps but Crane had overstepped.

It was a moment of disaster for the rookie spinner but he had bowled quite well in that spell. He eventually grabbed his maiden wicket - that of Usman Khawaja - stumped off a wide delivery.

#2 Shaun Marsh carries on from where Smith left off

Marsh played some exquisite shots enroute his half-century

Shaun Marsh did not let England off the hook after Moeen Ali had sent Steven Smith on his way. In the company of a steady Usman Khawaja, Marsh punished England with some sublime strokes around the SCG. It did not take long for Marsh to realise that he had to step up to Moeen Ali who was getting drift and turn and he stepped out to flight the off-spinner through mid-wicket early on.

He was given LBW off Joe Root but Marsh had an inside edge and he reviewed after consulting with Khawaja. Since then, the southpaw barely gave England any hope as he thwarted the English bowlers, in particular, Ali, to race to a fine half-century. He brought up the landmark with back to back fours off James Anderson before going into the nineties late in the day.

#1 England beaten into a corner

Marsh further compounded England's woes late in the day

The Marsh brothers batted together a fourth time in Test cricket and it turned out to be a treat for the Sydney Cricket Ground. Shaun Marsh had taken his time to get settled at the crease and his brother followed suit taking 18 balls to get off the mark and then was on 5 off 33 balls at one point of time.

Once set, he latched onto some ordinary bowling by the English and furthered Australia's lead in another day of dominance for the hosts. His half-century came in 64 balls, hoisting Moeen Ali twice over the ropes in the process. Nicknamed the Bison for the sheer power in his shots, Mitchell Marsh had England at his mercy late in the day.