Wicketkeeper Alex Carey's Stunning Hundred Helps The Baggy Greens Regroup After Early England Ashes Charge.

In the wake of that frenzy of the Perth Test and Brisbane's day-night spectacle, a more familiar style regarding Test cricket was witnessed at the Adelaide ground. For the delighted home crowd, it was one to cherish, with local hero the wicketkeeper-batsman delivered a sparkling hundred at his home ground to help Australia edge the opening day.

However, England, trailing 2-0 and clinging on in the contest, were entirely disappointed. Skipper Ben Stokes had lost what appeared an ominous toss and, though not at their best, his bowlers kept toiling in 35c conditions. At stumps, the Australians had reached 326-8 off 83 overs – a total on the board but surely below their expectations when Pat Cummins won the choice first thing.

Jofra Archer Stands Out For The Tourist's Resistance.

The standout for England was speedster Jofra Archer. Figures of three for 29 off 16 overs constituted a strong riposte against the scrutiny that came this past week. Here he visibly led the attack, clocking 88mph (142kmh) with the speedometer while providing Stokes a combination of control and obvious threat. It was only towards the very end of the day – one over with the fresh cherry – that he appeared a bit weary.

After bounced out Jake Weatherald early on, Archer's first over post-lunch wiped out Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green within just three balls. The all-rounder's golden duck was a reminder of how this sport can swiftly bring a player back down to earth, his weak chip shot to the mid-wicket fielder occurring barely a day following trousering a record £1.5m contract in the Indian Premier League.

Carey's Priceless Innings Rescues The Innings.

Alex Carey's day, however, was nothing short of invaluable, peaking at 4.48pm when he elegantly drove Stokes through the covers for three runs which prompted the crowd rose with a roar. Fresh from that virtuoso outing behind the stumps at the Gabba, his counterattacking 106 off 143 deliveries made sure that a post-lunch wobble to 94 for four failed to develop into a full-blown crisis. At 34, Carey is a serious Test match player nowadays.

Australia did leave some runs out there, however. Absent was the excessive bounce from the opening matches and in its place just a hint of nibble if the right area was located.

The pitch also offered a bit of turn for off-spinner Will Jacks, although his control was typical of a part-timer – resulting in expensive figures of two for 105 from 20 overs – and the balls that did to turn sharply will give hope to Australia's own spinner, Nathan Lyon.

Emotional Context with A Late Team Change.

This was inevitably a poignant occasion for Australia, arriving so soon after the horrific tragic incident in Bondi. A minute's silence before the start of play was perfectly observed, broken only by musician a rendition delivering an emotional rendition of True Blue.

Earlier, Australia had also been forced into an alteration from their announced starting eleven. Steve Smith pulled out due to feeling dizzy along with nausea first thing – seemingly return of a vertigo issue which has intermittently troubled the star batter ever since being felled by a Jofra Archer bouncer at Lord’s six years ago.

His place was taken by Usman Khawaja, a day after it was speculated his Test career may be finished. Before Carey's heroics, the left-hander had expertly held the innings steady, coming to the crease at 33/2 and finessing 82 from 126 balls a day out from turning 39. Stands of 61 with Labuschagne and 91 with Carey were significant.

The Tourist's Frustration Continues.

Archer aside, and despite the sapping heat, this was yet another disappointing outing for England’s attack. Brydon Carse somewhat rolled over his form from the first two Tests, picking up two for 70 off his 13 overs, and the incoming Josh Tongue picked up 1/63 in 15 overs.

The Durham bowler was all over the shop when handed sharing the duty of the new ball first thing, no-balling on five occasions yet dismissing Travis Head for 10 courtesy of a spectacular catch by Zak Crawley in the covers. It rather summed up the day for both sides: moments of brilliance interspersed with periods of error-prone cricket.