Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

England might not have too much of a decent night’s sleep but they’ll come back tomorrow, know what they are going to get and someone’s got to play a Steve Smith innings.

One of the boys has to get a hundred, someone has to get a 70 or 80 and everyone has to chip in. If that does happen then the pressure goes back on Australia.

So that's it from your Ashes recap. It's riveting stuff and, if you can't wait for the start of day four, then you can keep fuelled up with the Jonathan Agnew column and Pint-sized Ashes in the meantime.

You can listen to the podcast by clicking here.

Report: England face battle after Steve Smith century gives Australia lead

Full scorecard

Let's leave the final word to Tuffers...

Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Whatever it was, it was a wrong move [not bowling Andersonand Broad after lunch]. It’s as simple as that. You get a side seven down with a new ball, you want your premier bowlers in. I don’t care how many overs he bowled before lunch.

It is a game-splitting moment and I think they got it wrong. If it is tactical I think they should go back and have a look at their tactics.

I would have said 'Jimmy, this is it? We can get a lead here. You’ve got to give me five or six overs’.

One of the talking points from day three was England's leading bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad not bowling immediately after lunch with Australia 213-7.

Is Jimmy injured? Were they tired? Was it a tactical error?

Image source, Getty Images

Aussie skipper Steve Smith: It was nice to get him (Alastair Cook). He's a class player and his record speaks for itself. Any time you get those wickets, you are nice to see back of them.

"The bowlers bowled well, bowled with good pace and they have to that again in the morning. Hopefully, we get a couple of early ones and put the pressure on."

On his hundred: "With the team in trouble at 70-4 I had to bat time and dig deep. I had to fight hard through difficult periods. They set defensive fields and boundaries were hard to come by. I had to get off strike, wait for balls in my area and be disciplined. I thought I did that well."

On England's tactics: I thought they were pretty defensive from the outset. It was as if they were waiting for batters to make mistakes. Unfortunately four of the top five did. I thought they were defensive pretty early."

Image source, Getty Images

• England reduce Australia to 213-7 at lunch.
• Questions asked as James Anderson and Stuart Broad don't bowl after lunch as Australia rally to make 328 and lead by 26.
• Aussie skipper Steve Smith makes 141 and Pat Cummins contributes 42.
• England opener Alastair Cook is out hooking and James Vince edges to slip as Australia reduce the tourists to 17-2 at a pumped up Gabba.
• Joe Root is hit on the helmet but he and Mark Stoneman stand firm to get England to 33-2 at close - a lead of seven.

Report: Smith ton puts England under pressure

Full scorecard

Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

I’ve been impressed by the way Mark Stoneman has gone about his business. He will remember that 25 minutes at the end of the day for the rest of his life. You are not going to get quicker bowling than that.

So Mark, how are you enjoying Test cricket Aussie style?

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Stuart Broad has been sticking up for England team-mate Alastair Cook, who has made two and seven in his two innings at the Gabbatoir.

"No concerns [about him]," says Broad. "Not at all. We know what he can do in Australia.

"He feels good about his game. He got a good ball first innings and tonight was one of those tricky periods to bat.

"We know his strengths and he's a strong character mentally. He's been brilliant off the field, enjoying his cricket, free of the stress of captaincy. He's relaxed and loving it. His time will come here, I'm sure."

Image source, EPA

Stuart Mitchell: If Alastair cook plays like THAT for the rest of this series (surely hes too experienced to let that happen) then maybe Lyon will get his wish in ending an England career. Brainless cricket from our most experienced player.

Vincent S Coster: What a session of cricket. #Aussie, external up for it. #England, external fighting for their lives. Broken helmets. And Stuart Broad dodging questions like a politician. Welcome to #Testcricket, external at its best.

Fenners: England's lack of fast pace bowling being laid bare here. The exclusion of Overton & Plunkett is therefore even more perplexing - surely the selectors saw this coming?

The two wickets England lost included ex-captain Alastair Cook and let's just say Geoffrey Boycott was not to impressed at the manner of the dismissal.

You might have thought this pitch would suit Cook. They type of 22-yard strip where success, as Aussie skipper Steve Smith showed, comes by occupying the crease and putting away the bad ball.

Instead, he went for a hook off Josh Hazlewood and holed out to Mitchell Starc on the boundary.

"It was above shoulder height and he couldn't control it," said Boycott. "

"Cook is a great puller of the ball - that's not his shot.

"That wasn't smart."

Image source, Getty Images

Postpublished at 09:06 Greenwich Mean Time 25 November 2017

09:06 GMT 25 November 2017

Joe Root felt the full force of a Mitchell Starc bouncer as Australia ramped up the pace in the final session. The England skipper kept his wicket to get to five from 28 balls by the close and how important could that be for England. Can he do a Steve Smith and get a ton for his side?

Image source, EPA

• England had the hosts at 213-7 at lunch in response to their 302 in the first innings.
• Aussie captain Steve Smith scores his 21st - and slowest - Test century to get his side up to 328 and a lead of 26.
• The home tail wags to help Smith as Pat Cummins contributes 42.
• England lose Alastair Cook and James Vince late in the day.
• Joe Root and Mark Stoneman hang on in the face of some hostile bowling to see England to 33-2 at close - a lead of six.

England had to deal with some hostile bowling late on on day three which even had ex-England spinner Phil Tufnell cowering in the commentary box...

England fans might want to look away when it comes to this little fact:

Australia have never lost when Steve Smith has faced at least 220 balls in an innings - winning seven and drawing three.

Also, when it comes to Smith, this was his fourth Test century of 2017. Only South Africa's Dean Elgar (5) has more.

Aussie skipper Steve Smith might not have the sort of technique to get the purists purring but he is nothing if not prolific. And stubborn. His century against England was his slowest in Test cricket and his 141 not out to get his side to 328 and a lead of 26 came from 326 balls and took 512 minutes to compile.

Image source, Getty Images

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

Australia grabbed control of the game thanks to their captain Steve Smith. He played an innings in which he had to withstand many tactical changes England threw at him. He was mentally tough enough to realise what England were trying to do to him and just hung in there.

We’ve all spoken about the tail of Australia against England’s attack and like four years ago, that again looks like it is going to be one of the pivotal things of the series.

That's my cue to head off to bed. I'll catch you brave souls that stay up late for the start of day four later.

Plenty more recaps and reaction to come on this live text though, so stay tuned. Cheers.