Steve Smith struck a fine 93 to help Australia reassert control of the second Ashes Test on Friday after England grabbed early wickets on day two, including Marnus Labuschagne for 103.
The home side stretched their lead to a commanding 390 for seven at tea in the day-night clash in Adelaide, with Mitchell Starc unbeaten on three.
Alex Carey fell for 51 — his maiden Test half-century — on the stroke of the break, chipping to Haseeb Hameed at cover off Jimmy Anderson.
Stand-in captain Smith was England’s key tormentor at the last Ashes in 2019, on his return from a ball-tampering ban, and he kept his cool in sweltering Adelaide.
He was ably supported by Carey, who is in the team as replacement wicketkeeper for former skipper Tim Paine, who quit on the eve of the Ashes over a text-message scandal.
Smith came to the crease when David Warner was out for 95 and barely put a foot wrong, dishing out particular punishment to Chris Woakes, crunching three boundaries in one over then smacking him for a big six.
He looked destined for a 28th Test century but was dismissed lbw to an Anderson ball that pitched up — the English veteran’s first wicket of the tour.
Unflappable number three Labuschagne earlier completed his epic century after setting himself up by batting almost all day on Thursday, coming to the crease when Marcus Harris fell cheaply to Stuart Broad.
He brought up his sixth Test ton and first in an Ashes series off a dogged 287 balls with a boundary off Anderson.
