The Ashes 2013 - 3rd test,1st day: Michael Clarke's unbeaten century helps Australia post 303/3

Michael Clarke celebrates after scoring a century

With England 2-0 up in the series, Australia have to make this match count and the team, led by Captain Michael Clarke’s century, have started off on a good note, as they finished the first day of the third test at Manchester in a position of strength.

Having won the toss, Clarke opted to bat first. David Warner, Nathan Lyon and Michell Starc had returned for Australia while England played the same eleven as the last test match.

The Australian openers managed to see off the England new ball attack on a good batting pitch in the first session but lost their first wicket with 76 runs on the board as Shane Watson edged one of Tim Bresnan to Alastair Cook at first slip.

Usman Khawaja was soon declared out by the onfield umpire Tony Hill, albeit controversially, as he nicked Graeme Swann’s flighted delivery to Matt Prior for just one run. When Khawaja reviewed the decision, there was a small sound on the audio but hot spot showed nothing.

Yet, the umpires chose not to overturn the decision. In the post lunch session, Chris Rogers and Michael Clarke were lucky enough to see off a testing spell James Anderson and Stuart Broad but Swann accounted for Rogers, who had scored 84 off 114 balls, in the 37th over with the scoreboard reading 129 for 3.

Clarke(125* of 208) and Smith (70* of 150) then combined to put together an unbeaten partnership of 174 runs from 318 deliveries for the fourth wicket as Australia ended the day at 303/3 .