Steven Finn bemoans “very poor day”

Moeen Ali struck twice in the final over before lunch as England’s Ashes winners fought back on the second morning of the fifth test at the Kia Oval. But if Australia pile up 500, and England chase the rest of this game, Australia will be considerably more buoyant going into the first Test of the next Ashes series in 2017-18. Adam Voges was 47 not out, having helped Smith add an unbroken 101 for the fourth wicket.

“They created lot of pressure, made them earn their runs and picked up wickets – it speaks for itself”.

Warner and Chris Rogers (43) gave Australia the ideal platform, sharing a watchful 82-run stand before lunch after being invited to bat under grey skies. In every other game they’ve bowled fantastically, put it up there and allowed us to try and drive. They let the ball come and played it in front of their own eyes, not those of the bowler at the end of his followthrough. First ball back he slashed at a short, wide delivery from Finn, and the top edge flew through to Jos Buttler, who took the catch.

It also left him with a meagre tally for this Ashes series of 132 runs in nine innings at an average of 16.50.

Australia responded with a level of discipline rarely seen in this series. Both, however, were clearly of secondary importance to thwarting England’s bid for early wickets.

But with the Ashes already decided after Australia were bowled out for just 60 at Trent Bridge as they took the fast route to innings defeat there, this time they were in no mood to go quietly.

In his four-year career Cummins has managed only eight first-class matches through one injury after another because of his stressful action, but one was last weekend at Northampton, when he clicked with the second new ball and rescued the blushes of Australia’s batsmen with an unbeaten 82. Credit should go the much improved show of Australia though. Rather slow start after being put into bat and it is evident that the Aussies want avoid the catastrophe of a first session that transpired at Trent Bridge. The previous time was in March 2013, when Warner and Ed Cowan did it in India against Mohali. His last match was the drawn fifth Test against the West Indies at Sabina Park, in which he scored 46. Even though their partnership has only existed for two years it moved them alongside Bill Lawry and Bob Simpson to third for most century stands from Australian openers, behind only Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer with 14 and Mark Taylor and Michael Slater with 10.

As Australia’s next captain Smith had to make a big statement, and he did as the tourists reached 278 for the loss of just three wickets.

Smith clipped Moeen for a single to bring up his 11th test century, a patient effort spanning more than five hours at the crease. The retiring captain called upon when Warner fell about half an hour before tea.

On four, he inside-edged Stokes for four past his stumps and was not always convincing in the early stages of his innings.

The 34-year-old opted to review the out decision and while there was no indication of an edge on Hotspot, Snicko highlighted the thinnest of nicks.

The last series of Chris Rogers’s career has not been in vain as his team-mates are finally following his example. The right-hander looked just as solid as Smith, if not more so, since arriving in the 55th over as Clarke departed.