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Hmm. I'm all for positivity but this, to me, is a match that requires patience. Smith's innings was steeped in patience. James Vince - who is currently shadow batting in the dressing room - and Mark Stoneman steadied England with their careful play in the first innings. Back on the pitch, Alastair Cook gets his first runs as he shovels a Starc delivery off his hips for a couple. Oh, that's streaky from Cook, but it's four! Soft hands from the England opener sees a ball go rolling between slip and gully, and into the rope. A single brings Stoneman on strike, and he has a real flirt at an off stump delivery. Starc follows it with a mutinous stare. Dearie me, he wasn't far from nicking that.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

I like that mentality from Stoneman. We haven't seen his full stroke-making ability in an England shirt.

This might be the moment he comes out, plays some shots and erodes that deficit quickly.

Do any of you feel positive? Oh! That's four! Mark Stoneman absolutely wallops a cut at Josh Hazlewood's first ball and it goes flying past Nathan Lyon at point and away to the boundary. For a second there, Lyon thought he was in with a chance. He had the theatrical dive nailed down. I had a sudden image of Andrew Strauss doing that at the Gabba in 2010. Stoneman shoulders arms to the next few deliveries, before the slips applaud furiously as Hazlewood draws him forward.

Adam Davies: Come on now Cook. Brisbane. 2nd innings. You know what to do.

Steve Allen: Here comes the collapse. Here’s how England took one hand off the Ashes. After Perth it’ll be both hands.

Cook lets back-to-back Starc deliveries go zipping past his off stump, before he gets forward and defends nicely. He gets crossed over slightly by a fuller delivery that comes pounding towards him at 89mph, before he blocks away the final ball. A maiden.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

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We're going to know how this Test match will go in these last 20 or so overs today.

If England can get through to the close 60-0 or 60-1 then they've got a really good chance, because you don't want to bat last chasing a challenging total on this pitch.

But if England win a couple of wickets early and the crowd get hostile then Australia will be really on top. England need to nullify these 20 overs.

Eurgh! Alastair Cook chases the first ball, which is going sliding down leg, and momentarily has everyone's hearts in their mouth. He missed it, thankfully, with the ball flicking his trousers.

Here come the England openers. Steve Smith, by the way, doesn't look even remotely knackered as the goes jogging into the slips.

Mitch Starc has the ball in his hand. Australia have a lead of 26. Here we go...

Theo Sheridan: That's why we love Test cricket. The ebbs and flows. 1st Session: England's. 2nd Session: Australia's. 3rd Session....

Some Steve Smith stats: his unbeaten 141 came from 326 balls with 14 fours, compiled over eight hours and 31 minutes. He played 16 false shots (16!) all innings, and he's played with patience and control. A real captain's knock.

He brings his players together in a huddle before they go stomping out onto the field.

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England have about 20 or so overs to survive this evening. I fancy Mitch Starc to be dangerous here. There's no demons in this pitch - if Cummins and Lyon can play the shots they did, then England must know there's no extra pace around - but Starc will find that early zip with the new ball.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

If you look at the way Pat Cummins and then Nathan Lyon played, they have total trust they can survive against England's attack on these wickets.

But the England tail were frantic and panicky, because they've have no trust they can stay in during the Australia hostility. That's going to be the difference in this series - the hosts have added over 150 runs for the last five wickets.

If you're just waking up, then good news! Australia are all out. Bad news! They've got a slender lead and should have been out much earlier!

England bossed the morning session, nipping out Shaun Marsh, Mitch Starc and Tim Paine to put themselves in a very strong position.

However, some strange tactics after lunch, and an uncomfortable looking Jimmy Anderson, allowed Steve Smith to compile a magnificent century.

Smith shepherded the tail nicely - helped by a mature 42 from Pat Cummins - to give Australia a 26 run lead.

Game very much on.

Dan Norcross
BBC Test Match Special

England tried every conceivable plan against Smith but he never once looked like getting out.

This game is right slap bang in the balance but Australia will be delighted after recovering from 209-7.

Steve Smith is never going to get out, is he? It's remarkable, really, the patience he's shown. He's barely looked ruffled, a few hours this morning aside. The concentration he still has is really impressive. And that's four. It's just regulation stuff from Woakes and it's so easy for Smith to move on to the back foot and pull to the boundary. He then stretches far to his right and bunts a single away.

Glenn McGrath
Ex-Australia pace bowler on BBC Test Match Special

Steve Smith has started showing an intention to score as many runs as possible as quickly as possible.

That won't be easy on this pitch but he's certainly got his eye in.

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