Former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy was full of praise for Mitchell Marsh and his steadying partnership with Travis Head.
Marsh joined Head in the middle after Steve Smith was sent packing at 4-85.
Together, the pair reached 155 runs from 169 balls.
“Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh’s solution to the speed, swing and the seam of England’s bowlers was to hit their way through it,” Healy told SEN 1170.
“Travis was jumping around trying his hardest, not absorbing balls on the body or ducking and weaving for an hour, it was ‘we’re going to play a shot and we’re going to find a gap’.
“It’s quite good stuff to watch.
“It’s fast, out-of-control cricket.”
In his first performance in the baggy green since 2019, Marsh starred with 118 runs from the same amount of balls, including 17 fours and four sixes.
The 31-year-old’s century was the third of his Test career.
“It was incredible hitting, the shots rivalled Ben Stokes of last week at Lord’s,” Healy said.
“It looked to me like he could pick up the length very quickly, he set his feet very well the whole innings.
“His balance was unbelievable and then he says, ‘Right, I’m going to hit this for six’ and he’d lean back on it a little bit longer and hit it high.
“Hitting sixes on purpose is a sign that you’re really seeing the ball well.”