ASHES Stumps Day One: Smith's century leads Australia fight

Steve Smith starred on day one.

Steve Smith has notched a superb century in his return to Test cricket, rescuing his team from another poor batting performance on day one of the Ashes at Edgbaston.

As was so often the case before being banned for a year for his part in the ball-tampering scandal that rocked cricket in March last year, Smith was the only Australian batsman that stood tall in Birmingham, guiding the team to a respectable 284 after a pair of batting collapses.

Smith finished up on 144, giving the day its highlight when a scorching cover drive beat the infield, flew for four and saw him reach triple figures for the 24th time in Test cricket.

He struggled to keep his emotions in check, even as the English crowd let the boos rain down, beaming from ear to ear as he saluted his teammates and took a moment to compose himself.

"There were times throughout the last 15 months where I didn't know if I was going to play cricket again," said Smith, who was frequently booed by the England fans.

“It has got to be one of my best 100s. I am lost for words.”

Supported by Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon at the bottom of the order, Smith dragged Australia to a competitive score, keeping his side in the match almost single-handedly after the day had threatened to go in a much different direction.

Winning the toss would prove to be Australia's only victory of the opening exchanges of the series, with no-one in the top order managing to settle in.

David Warner's first Test innings in almost a year-and-a-half should have been over after one ball, as he edged Stuart Broad down the leg side to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, but the umpire missed it.

As it happened, he only lasted 13 more deliveries before Broad had him dismissed LBW for 2 in the fourth over. A review would have saved him, but Warner did not use one.

Cameron Bancroft, the third member of the banned trio that was recalled for the first Ashes Test, only hung around for four more overs before edging Broad to England captain Joe Root in the slips.

The boos for Bancroft became far more vocal jeering for Smith as the crowd saw the former captain jogging into the playing arena.

His partnership with Usman Khawaja came to an end when the English perfectly used a review to find an outside edge through to Bairstow off the bowling of Chris Woakes, overturning another incorrect decision by the umpires.

Smith found some long-term companionship with Travis Head, who batted through the next hour to reach lunch. But Head's dismissal, LBW to Woakes in the 33rd over, started a serious collapse of 5-23.

Australia went from 3-99 to 8-122 in the space of 11 overs with the loss of Head, Matthew Wade, Tim Paine, James Pattinson and Pat Cummins.

But where so many more accomplished batsmen had failed, the recalled Siddle succeeded, hanging around with Smith and helping his teammate to another half-century, his fifth straight against England.

It was at that point that the boos returned, but Smith seemed unfazed, powering on to tea on 66.

The break was extended as England's weather arrived and, even after the players resumed, scattered rain led to the farcical situation of Smith and Siddle running off the field as the umpires called for the pitch to be covered, only for the groundskeepers to be waved away as they got within a few metres of the pitch.

Smith's immediate return to play gave the English fans another opportunity to jeer the thorn in their side, who only seemed to be growing in stature with every barb thrown his way.

Meanwhile, England's bowling attack appeared to be tiring, having lost Jimmy Anderson after he had bowled just four overs to start the day.

With the seamers struggling, it was off-spinner Moeen Ali who finally got the breakthrough, ending Siddle's stay on 44 when the tail-ender edged to short leg, halting Australia's biggest partnership of the day (88).

Lyon did his job smartly from there, holding up an end as Smith swung for the fences, often finding them.

He would fall going for one more big shot though, clean bowled by Broad who brought up his five-wicket-haul and celebrated his 100th Test wicket against Australia.

That left Australia with two overs to bowl at England, overs that Jason Roy and Rory Burns survived comfortably.

"We don't know how good the score will be until we bat on it," Broad said.

"The way that Smith played showed there are runs to be had on the pitch."

THE STAR

He's back. Steve Smith drives on his way to 144 against England.

Steve Smith's 24th test century, in his first innings since his 12 month ban in early 2018, all but cemented him amongst the top test batsmen we have ever seen. With his teammates crumbling around him, Smith combined with number 10 Peter Siddle for an 88 run partnership, before a 74 one with Nathan Lyon, taking the score from 8 for 122 to 284 when Smith was finally dismissed for 144. He faced 219 balls, hit 16 fours and 2 sixes and was head and shoulders above any other player on day one.

THE MOMENT

Siddle's innings would not have been possible without the ability to overturn a decision.

With Siddle yet to score, and Smith only on 50, umpire Joel Wilson raised the finger to adjudge Siddle out LBW off the bowling of Woakes. Siddle reviewed, and the decision was overturned. And without it there is no doubt that England would have been firmly in control of this match.

THE FAILURE

Umpire Joel Wilson had a day to forget.

The umpiring in the first innings is probably the biggest failure on Day One of the Ashes, with no less than 7 decisions given in error, with only 4 of them overturned via review. It was an absolute horror show for the men in the middle, who's credibility for the remainder of the test will be determined on an improved performance starting day two. Both Warner and Pattinson failed to review a decision that would have sparred their wicket, whilst Warner was also given not out when Broad and co could have overturned it. Perhaps it balanced out, but it's not a good look on day one of the pinnacle test series in the World.

THE STAT

9 - The number of centuries for Steve Smith in The Ashes. Only three batsmen have scored more hundreds, Don Bradman (19), Jack Hobbs (12) and Steve Waugh (10). Smith now has 9 centuries from 42 innings in Ashes tests, with 5 of those 9 coming in the last seven tests.