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Brisbane test: Steve Smith century propels Australia to 505;India finish at 71 for 1 at stumps

Steve Smith' scentury and Mitchell Johnson's 88 ensured Australia barged ahead of India on day 3.

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Steve Smith celebrates after his century on day 3.
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Steve Smith's controlled 133, Mitchell Johnson's game-changing 88 and some fine work by the Australian tail-enders ensured that the home side barged their way ahead of India and finished their first-innings on 505.

Australia took a first innings lead of 97 and India had shaved 71 runs off the deficit by the close of play. Murali Vijay, who scored 144 in the first essay, departed for 27, leaving Shikhar Dhawan (26 not out) and Cheteshwar Pujara(15), to resume on Saturday. 

The home side looked to be facing a sizeable deficit of their own, when they lost two wickets in the first hour to slip to 247-6, but Smith and Johnson combined for a record seventh-wicket partnership of 148 to steer the side to safety. Both fell to Ishant Sharma in the same over an hour after lunch but Mitchell Starc (52) continued the resistance with his fourth test half century and registered partnerships of 56 with Nathan Lyon (23) and 51 with Josh Hazlewood (32 not out).

Also read: Steve Smith hits ton on captaincy debut as Australia take lead

Starc was the last Australian batsman to fall but the left-armer returned after the innings break to bowl Vijay, as the Indian made the mistake of leaving an angled delivery. Smith, deputising for the injured Michael Clarke, became the first Australian to score a century in his maiden test as captain since Graham Yallop in 1978.



CAPTAIN'S KNOCK

It was his second century of the series after his unbeaten 162 in the opening test victory in Adelaide last weekend and a fourth in eight matches this year.
 

"I wanted to lead from the front with my performances so hopefully I've done that so far in this game.To be fair, our whole tail batted beautifully and to get us up over 500 was remarkable" - Steve Smith
 

It was Johnson's pugnacious 93-ball knock, that turned the day in Australia's favour, after India controlled the first hour and dismissed Mitchell Marsh and Brad Haddin cheaply. Fired up by some sledging and short balls, Johnson stopped the rot by clubbing the ball around the ground with 13 fours and one six. The lefthander looked to be heading for his second test century when he chased an Ishant delivery, only to get a top edge which Mahendra Singh Dhoni snaffled up behind the stumps.
 

Related: India close day at 71/1; trail by 26 runs

Smith, who brought up his century with his 10th four just before lunch, followed five balls later when he chopped on to be dismissed for the first time in the four-match series.

"We tried our best to get them out but you always have this up-and-down phase in cricket and sometimes your strategy doesn't work," India paceman Umesh Yadav said.

"The wicket is a bit slow. It's good for batting now. We will take a good lead and after that we'll see," concluded Yadav.

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