It was the best day of England’s series; it was very possibly the best day of Dawid Malan’s career. On a brilliant, true WACA surface that evoked some of the classic tussles of old, Malan’s maiden Test century handed England a crucial early advantage in the third Test. Just as importantly, on what has been a fraught and difficult tour, it gave his side that rarest of commodities: hope.

If reaching three figures was a cathartic moment for Malan, a batsman who toiled for a decade in the county game waiting for his chance, then it may prove equally transformative for his team-mates. England’s first century of the series may have been well overdue, but in blunting Australia’s pace attack on a frighteningly quick surface, he has shown the way forward, offered England half a foothold in the series.

It is not an exaggeration to suggest that at 131-4, with their top four all back in the dressing room, England were staring disaster in the face. But in putting on an unbeaten partnership of 174, Malan and Jonny Bairstow finally elevated England above the furious white noise of narrative and counter-narrative, stories about team discipline and spot-fixing, that had threatened to engulf this tour whole.

Ashes third Test in pictures Show all 42 1 /42 Ashes third Test in pictures Ashes third Test in pictures alastair-cook2.jpg Alastair Cook departs after being trapped LBW for seven. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures mark-stoneman.jpg Mark Stoneman is hit by the ball on his way to making 56. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures james-vince.jpg James Vince is caught behind by Tim Paine off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures joe-root2.jpg Joe Root walks off after making 20, having been caught by Tim Paine off the bowling of Pat Cummins. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures dawid-malan.jpg Dawid Malan sweeps the ball away for four on the first day of the third Test. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures jonny-bairstow.jpg Jonny Bairstow runs between the wickets with Dawid Malan on the first day of the third Ashes test. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures dawid-malan1.jpg Dawid Malan celebrates reaching his century on the first day of the third Ashes Test. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures dawid-malan2.jpg Dawid Malan walks off the Waca field after making 140. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures steve-smith-0.jpg Steve Smith celebrates with his Australian teammates following the dismissal of Dawid Malan. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures jonny-bairstow1.jpg Jonny Bairstow celebrates reaching his century on day two of the third Test. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures jonny-bairstow2.jpg Jonny Bairstow points to the sky in memory of his late father after reaching his century. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures jonny-bairstow3.jpg Jonny Bairstow headbutts his England helmet after passing 100. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures chris-woakes.jpg Chris Woakes is dismissed by Josh Hazlewood as England's lower order is bowled out cheaply. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures craig-overton.jpg Craig Overton walks off dejectedly after being caught out for just 2. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures stuart-broad.jpg Stuart Broad edged an attempted pull shot to Cameron Bancroft at short-leg. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures david-warner.jpg David Warner walks off the field after making 22. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures cameron-bancroft.jpg Cameron Bancroft dives for the crease in an attempted run-out. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures craig-overton1.jpg Craig Overton celebrates dismissing Cameron Bancroft soon after the wicket of David Warner. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures usman-khawaja.jpg Usman Khawaja is dismissed by Chris Woakes late on day two. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures steve-smith1.jpg Steve Smith steadied the ship for Australia as he approached his century. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures moeen-ali.jpg Moeen Ali celebrates taking the only wicket of the day after dismissing Shaun Marsh Getty Ashes third Test in pictures steve-smith100.jpg Steve Smith celebrates reaching his second century of the Ashes series Getty Ashes third Test in pictures mitchell-marsh1.jpg Mitchell Marsh raises his arms in the air after reaching his maiden century Getty Ashes third Test in pictures mitchell-marsh.jpg Mitchell Marsh kisses his helmet after reaching his century on his Australia recall Getty Ashes third Test in pictures steve-smith4.jpg Steve Smith ducks out of the way of a bouncer on his way to 229 not-out on day three Getty Ashes third Test in pictures stuart-broad1.jpg Stuart Broad reacts with dejection on a frustrating day for England Getty Ashes third Test in pictures steve-smith2.jpg Steve Smith celebrates reaching his double-century to put Australia in control on day three of the third Test Getty Ashes third Test in pictures steve-smith3.jpg Steve Smith points to his family after passing 200 in the first innings Getty Ashes third Test in pictures scoreboard.jpg The scoreboard made bleak reading for England Getty Ashes third Test in pictures gettyimages-893732190.jpg Getty Ashes third Test in pictures gettyimages-893973426.jpg Getty Ashes third Test in pictures gettyimages-893990244.jpg Getty Ashes third Test in pictures trevor-bayliss-joe-root.jpg Trevor Bayliss and Joe Root inspect the pitch at the start of day five. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures jonny-bairstow4.jpg Jonny Bairstow is caught out by a ball that keeps low from Josh Hazlewood. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures nathan-lyon.jpg Nath Lyon is surrounded by his Australia teammates after dismissing Moeen Ali. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures dawid-malan4.jpg Dawid Malan celebrates reaching his half-century. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures dawid-malan3.jpg Dawid Malan top scored again for England with 54 before getting himself out. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures craig-overton3.jpg Craig Overton came out to bat despite suffering a fractured rib. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures josh-hazlewood.jpg Josh Hazlewood celebrates the dismissal of Craig Overton. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures mitchell-starc.jpg Pat Cummins celebrates dismissing Stuart Broad for a duck Getty Ashes third Test in pictures james-anderson.jpg James Anderson is struck on the head during the second innings. Getty Ashes third Test in pictures pat-cummins.jpg Pat Cummins celebrates taking the wicket of Chris Woakes to secure Australia's Ashes series victory. Getty

This was such a contrast from the taut tussles of Brisbane and Adelaide. From the full-throttle start made by Mark Stoneman, who made a Test-best 56, to Bairstow and Malan’s courageous counter-attack against the second new ball late on, it was Test cricket at its most raw and engrossing. Helmets were struck, words were exchanged. There was sublime strokeplay, world-class fast bowling and even a touch of controversy. The run rate fluctuated over the day, ending on a healthy 3.42.

As Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood steamed in, on a pitch appreciably quicker than many recent Waca Tests, there was almost something primal about it, especially in the afternoon session when Australia peppered Stoneman and then Malan with a short-pitched salvo. It was bowling as assault, batting as physical survival. Wicket-keeper Tim Paine could have used a stepladder. Occasionally bouncers would fly clean over his head and away for four.

But as the evening wound on, it was England who were left standing. It was Australia who were dropping their catches, who were slipping over in the field, who even looked a touch weary as they left the field at stumps. Malan and Bairstow will resume with an opportunity to push England’s total past 400 and perhaps even beyond, towards the sort of score that would, at the very least, avert a 5-0 whitewash.

Australia will certainly relish their turn with the bat. Root had no hesitation on making first use of the pitch on winning his third consecutive toss, for if you can negotiate the new ball, the bounce is even and the fast outfield gives its runs up easily. England began rapidly, reaching 26 in the fifth over before the early loss of Alastair Cook, trapped plumb LBW to give his 150th Test an inauspicious start.

James Vince fell first (Getty)

James Vince started nicely, making a conscious effort to play the ball straighter in his innings, and leaving very well. He and Stoneman signalled their intent to Nathan Lyon early on, Stoneman sweeping, Vince trotting down the wicket, neither afraid to hit against the spin, of which there was not much at all.

But as ever with Vince, you know what came next. You can probably even picture it. Hazlewood gave him a wonderful working-over, bowling him 18 straight dot balls to pin him back in his crease. The next time Vince tried to drive, his feet weren’t quite moving right. Caught behind, again.

This is the curious thing about Vince, and to a lesser extent Stoneman. Batting is supposed to get easier the longer you stay in. Vince and Stoneman, by contrast, almost make it look harder. Vince again squandered a good start; Stoneman has now passed 50 three times without reaching 60. Having been dropped by Lyon at first slip on 52, and then cracked on the helmet by Hazlewood, Australia successfully rattled him with the short ball, against which he is yet to look truly convincing.

Joe Root was dismissed by Pat Cummins for 20 (Getty)

Joe Root was unfortunate, strangled down the leg side after a breezy start. So too, ultimately, was Stoneman, triggered on review by third umpire Aleem Dar, who deemed a tiny hillock of noise on Snickometer enough to overturn the original decision. Watching from the dressing room, Root slapped the door in anger. England had gone from 89-1 to 131-4 and the crows were beginning to circle.

But perhaps that was where Australia’s luck ran out. Malan could easily have been run out, by David Warner when Bairstow called him through for a single that perhaps only he could have made. And gradually, unfussily, the Middlesex left-hander found his feet. His repertoire of strokes is not as extensive as say, Root’s, or even Stoneman’s. But he has an ability to release pressure, to avoid getting bogged down for long periods, to score steadily but unfussily: the flick, the push, the controlled pull for one. His signature dish, the cover drive, is equally effective against pace or spin, and although he plays it a lot, it very rarely seems to get him out.

Mark Stoneman was caught behind in controversial circumstances (Getty)

The ball was getting older. The hot sun was beginning to sap Australia’s bowlers. The ball would still zip through to Paine, but at waist height rather than head height. Bairstow, relishing the responsibility of being promoted to No6, looked busy at the crease: the late cut, the nudge into the leg side for two, the powerful straight drive. Together Malan and Bairstow pushed the field back, milked the singles, saw off first the pacemen and then Lyon, forcing Smith to bowl Mitchell Marsh and himself to pass the time before the second new ball arrived.

And so began the final act of the day. Isn’t it strange how something as simple as a ball change can completely alter the feel of a day? Suddenly the ball was flying through again, Malan and Bairstow were jumping around, the crowd were getting back into the game. On 92, Malan drove and edged, only for Cameron Bancroft to shell the catch at third slip.

Malan passed three figures for the first time in Tests (Getty)

But instead of retreating into their shells, England continued to play their shots, aware that the hard ball also provided a scoring opportunity. Bairstow drove Starc ethereally through the covers for four. And in the following over, a short ball from Hazlewood, a pull through square leg, and finally there it was: three figures for Malan, marked with little more than a lift of the helmet and a modest raise of the bat.