England tailenders outshine failing top order in second Ashes Test

Smith might regret not enforcing the follow-on as it meant his team had to bat under dark skies but they remain firmly in the driving seat thanks to England’s careless work in the previous two sessions.

Anderson bowled brilliantly, taking two for 16 in an 11-over spell in which he finally found the swinging conditions he enjoys most. He removed Cameron Bancroft caught behind and Usman Khawaja lbw. Chris Woakes got David Warner for the second time in the match, caught at second slip.

Smith was given out leg-before to Anderson before he had scored but was reprieved when ball-tracking suggested the delivery had pitched outside leg. No matter: Woakes had him lbw moments later.

Nightwatchman Nathan Lyon survived with Peter Handscomb as Australia struggled to 53 for four, a hefty lead of 268. When the players walked off, Handscomb and Lyon were involved in a verbal tussle with Root, who was apparently unhappy at the Aussies’ timewasting tactics in the final over.

Earlier, Overton and Woakes had added 66 for the eighth wicket; the previous highest partnerships, between Cook and Dawid Malan, and Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali, were worth only 30 apiece.

Victory here and at Perth, where the next Test starts on December 14, would ensure Australia regained the urn but already the “w” word — whitewash — has been whispered far too often for England’s liking.

James Vince and Root were dismissed to shots they will never wish to see again, likewise Moeen and — to a lesser extent — Bairstow. This was a good pitch for batting, as long as you were prepared to be patient, as Australia were, but England could not apply themselves similarly. The Ashes may be slipping away — England’s record at Perth is woeful — but there is no excuse for simply rolling over and accepting a third 5-0 drubbing in four tours Down Under, and in that context, the bowling in the evening was encouraging.

Australia’s class of 2017-18 are efficient in home conditions and have pace that England can only dream of, meaning they were always strong favourites to win the series — but they are not invincible. Until Overton joined Woakes at the crease, it looked as though England were no longer prepared to fight.

Even during the morning warm-ups, they looked a little flatter than usual and their approach at the crease seemed to indicate that they were already finding this Ashes series a little bit too much. Thankfully, Anderson and Woakes showed them how it was done in the final session.

When they resumed on 29 for one, they needed a period of calm accumulation. Instead, Vince was out to the eighth ball of the morning, attempting an expansive back-foot drive at a delivery he should have left alone. Wicketkeeper Tim Paine took the catch and Josh Hazlewood had his first wicket.

Root was just as culpable, driving aggressively at a wide delivery from Pat Cummins that zipped into the hands of Bancroft at third slip. Two wickets for Australia in the opening six overs, and even though Malan and Cook consolidated, Lyon soon did the trick from the Cathedral End, tempting Cook forward with extra flight, and the opener nicked to Smith at first slip.

Malan survived a short-pitched assault from Mitchell Starc but then dropped his hands too late to Cummins and edged behind.

Soon after the tea break, Lyon brought the house down with a flying caught-and-bowled to remove Moeen, who will ask himself why he flicked so lazily at the ball. Bairstow might be equally puzzled after throwing the kitchen sink at a drive that Starc did brilliantly to intercept and then catch on the rebound.

Woakes and Overton did everything their colleagues couldn’t. They played sensibly, dealt maturely with the short ball, blocked the straight ones and hit the stray ones to the boundary. In doing so, they gave their batsmen plenty to think about.

Stuart Broad and Anderson fell cheaply and though England bowled with skill and aggression in the final session, Australia are still in charge.