Steve Smith looks invincible as he puts Australia on course for another Ashes victory

Really, the day could have been many others this winter: England made a total that looked reasonable at first, but quickly started to appear inadequate as their bowlers struggled to break through. One more wicket will take Stuart Broad to 400 in Tests while leg-spinner Mason Crane, on his Test debut, showed some promise.

Yet having chosen two slow bowlers, England will be concerned that seamers have claimed all but two of the 12 wickets to fall in the game, one of which was a run-out. The tourists must hope that the surface deteriorates sharply, otherwise it is hard to see how they will win the game.

England’s dreadful end to the first day, when they lost Joe Root in the penultimate over and Jonny Bairstow in the last one, invited pessimism. And when Dawid Malan added only seven to his overnight score of 55, a collapse looked probable.

There would be no second century of the series for Malan, who was caught on the crease by Mitchell Starc and Smith took an outstanding one-hander, low to his left at second slip. With Malan gone, could the out-of-form Moeen Ali guide the fragile-looking tail to a decent score?

Moeen and Tom Curran were helped by some dire Australian catching, as Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood dropped two simple chances in the space of five deliveries. On 21, Curran scooped Nathan Lyon straight to mid-on, where Cummins somehow grassed it.

In the following over, Cummins felt Lyon’s pain, as Hazlewood ran around from mid-on to collect Moeen’s top-edged pull, then failed to put even a hand on the dropping ball. Moeen, who had 22, would make only eight more as Cummins produced another accurate short delivery that was caught behind.

England were 294 for seven at that stage but were carried well beyond 300 by Broad, who walloped a highly entertaining 31 from only 32 deliveries.

There is little margin for error in the way Broad bats but when it comes off, it can be quite destructive: this innings contained two sixes, swatted from under his nose into the stands at cow corner. It could only last for so long, of course, and Broad’s luck ran out when he wound up for another swipe across the line, this time at Lyon. The ball looped off the top-edge and Smith back-pedalled from slip to pouch it.

By that time, Curran was also back in the pavilion for 39; Cummins had done the trick again with another bumper, which was guided to short-leg. Crane and Jimmy Anderson were never likely to trouble the Australian attack but in the end they got themselves out through a mix-up that saw Crane run out for four.

With the exception of the second innings at Adelaide, England have never been able to cause sufficient panic within the Australian batting line-up. Even though Broad dismissed Cameron Bancroft for a duck, sneaking one between bat and pad, Australia would not have been too worried.

David Warner averaged 63 in Tests at this ground before the match and looked well set for a fourth Sydney century, until Anderson accounted for him with a wonderful delivery that moved just enough off the pitch to take the edge of his bat.

That was England’s final strike. Crane bowled cleverly at times and, on another day, might have had a wicket. He lost his run-up on a handful of occasions and sent down the odd full toss, while also troubling Khawaja, notably when Australia’s No3 edged between the wicketkeeper and Root at slip on 65.

Smith had some luck, too – doesn’t it always happen when you are batting this well? – when Broad found his outside edge, only for the ball to float wide of Bairstow and land short of Alastair Cook at first slip, with Smith on 26.

Crane gave Khawaja occasional problems but he survived. Smith, of course, survived. He needs six more on day three for a half-century but the story of this series suggests he will make many more than that. England have to find a way to summon one last effort to turn the tide. The second new ball, available in 13 overs, may be their only chance.