A weary England have been well and truly ground into the dirt at the SCG today.

Can they lift themselves off the canvass on day four? Play starts at 23:00 GMT this evening in Sydney when we'll find out.

There will be with live-text commentary on the BBC Sport website and ball-by-ball coverage from the TMS team at 22:45.

Chief cricket reporter Stephan Shemilt has delivered his verdict on proceedings from today. Be sure to read that before you go...

You can also scroll down to see a recap of what has happened and read all the reaction from Jacob Bethell, Steve Smith and the TMS pundits.

There will be highlights available on BBC iPlayer from 17:00 GMT and a TMS podcast on BBC Sounds shortly.

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Jonathan Agnew
BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

There is no discipline in England. It is only Joe Root and perhaps Ben Stokes who can get in and score runs.When you get in on a decent pitch, you should fill your boots and really work hard like Steve Smith did today. England do not have that discipline - apart from Joe Root.

Phil Tufnell
Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

England have been out-Test matched. It's that simple. A score of 30 or 40 from a batter does not touch the surface over in Australia.

More from Jacob Bethell on battling Ollie Pope for the number three spot: “I hadn’t felt that I did enough to start the series at number three. I came into the India series and got two single-figure scores, which doesn’t deserve as Ashes call-up. The way it went down was how I thought it was going to go down. Me and Popey are good mates. It’s pretty hard to be put at loggerheads."

Onwhat he’s learned from Joe Root: “The biggest thing is his mindset When he doesn’t get runs, it’s when is the big one coming rather than searching. If he misses out a couple of times, there’s a big one around the corner.”

Justin Langer
Former Australia batter on TNT Sports

This is the day England have been dreading. It’s been a tough day. Steve Smith loves being captain and he had good guys to go with him. He’s had some great partnerships along the way. That’s why Australia, with good old-fashioned Test cricket, are on top.

The second new ball with Australia - Mitchell Starc comes on and hits the spot, Scott Boland comes on and hits the spot, Michael Neser comes on and hits the spot. With England, it was boundary after boundary after boundary and released all the pressure. That’s the difference for me in the series. The relentless nature of Australia’s bowling.

We talk about him a lot – Ben Stokes. He bowled beautifully. I’d have loved to see him take the new ball today. He was so good without much luck. It must frustrate him, as with Joe Root yesterday, that the bowlers aren’t going with him.

England have to get Smith out and Webster, and there’s still Starc to come. It’s going to take time. They have to somehow reach the target and somehow get enough runs and pray this wicket is going to rag and spin without a specialist spinner.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

Ben Stokes has a competitive nature and England need to keep him going. He will want revenge for this series and he will want to get the Ashes right back in England.

He comes across as an angry competitor at times but he is a much softer, more thoughtful character than that in real life.

England all-rounder Jacob Bethell, who took his first Ashes wicket on day three, told TNT Sports: “I enjoyed it. Bowled a few more sets than I thought I would at the start of the day. It was nice to get Head early.

“It was pretty cool [bowling to Smith]. A couple of his hand gestures, I was like what’s going on here? He doesn’t move much to spin but I see him move to the seamers – where do you even aim?

“The way he goes about it looks weird but the fundamentals are very good. I take a lot from him but more so how Rooty went about it. On that wicket it’s a new ball wicket and once you get through those first 20, 30 balls, you’ve got to go out there and do it.”

On the condition of the pitch: “There’s not really any [cracks] that are in play. A couple wider but I can’t see anything yet that’s going to affect anything. The perfect world would be they hold while we’re batting and then break up.”

On dismissing Head: “It did feel pretty good. I didn’t think he was going to sweep that ball but [I just bowled] nice and straight.”

Glenn McGrath
Ex-Australia bowler on BBC Test Match Special

It is disappointing the lack of spin from both sides. What I saw today, there is a bit of turn in the pitch. I saw enough of Jacob Bethell to see that you can challenge the batters out there with spin.

Ben Stokes can bowl maiden overs but it is as if no-one else can. There has been no pressure put on the batsmen - it is both mindset and execution.

Australia's Steve Smith speaking on Test Match Special: "It was nice batting out there on a nice wicket. It was a great innings from Travis Head. When you are batting with him, they sort of forget about you so I could get into my work from there.

"It was a nice wicket and they came in with some plans. I tried to get off strike but it worked out well today. Hopefully we can get over a 200-run lead and the wicket will start doing a few more tricks

"I don't think about the number and records. I just love batting here and I know the ground really well. The pace of the wicket suits me and I love playing in front of this crowd."

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

I don't know how you read what is going on in that England dressing room at the moment. It is as if they deliberately don't do what people are telling them to do.

Why was Brydon Carse fielding in the sunshine when he has been bowling in the heat all day? And Ben Duckett is in the shade. It is little things like that.

Ben Stokes has not been totally on it. He will not look back on this series with great affection. I have not seen the proactivity from him.

England's Jacob Bethell on Test Match Special: "You cannot fault anyone. Our fast bowlers charged in all day.

"It is one of those days that is crucial for how you win a Test match. You have to hold on to get your reward. I felt we did that well.

"It was nice to get Travis Head. I try to think like a batsman and try to play it that way. I see myself as an all-rounder."

On the pitch: "It favours the new ball for bowlers. There is enough pace to score even when the ball is soft. You have to be relentless and hold your length as long as possible.

"The way Joe Root and Steve Smith played showed that after about 20 or 30 balls in that wicket, you can put the bowlers under the pump. That is something for all batters to take away.

"Tomorrow we need to get them out as quick as possible. Any more runs will make it tough for us to win. Never say never."

Srinivas Vijaykumar
CricViz analyst

Australia have scored seven 50-plus partnerships in this innings - their most ever in a Test innings.

Only India in 2007 v England at The Oval with eight have registered more 50-plus partnerships in a Test innings.

Australia captain Steve Smith, not out on 129, said: “It was nice batting out there. Pretty good wicket. Nice to come off the back of a pretty good innings from Travis Head. He played beautifully yet again. When you’re batting with him, they forget about you with the way he’s going at the moment. I was able to get the pace of the wicket and get into my work.

“It was a nice wicket. They came with a few plans with the short stuff. I was trying to get out of the way, get off strike. It went well today, a couple of nice partnerships. Greeny [Cameron Green] was batting nicely, I thought Slug [Beau Webster] came out and batted beautifully.

"Hopefully we can put a partnership together in the morning, put on a 200-run lead, and the pitch will start to play a few tricks.

“I love batting here. It’s my home deck. I know the ground well. When I get in, I like batting here. The pace of the wicket suits the way I play and I love playing in front of this crowd."

England are "clinging on by a thread" according to Graeme Swann on TNT Sports.

Alastair Cook says Australia's bowlers will be "refreshed" after putting their feet up and are "guaranteed to get more out of this wicket" than a jaded England attack.

Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special commentator

Image source, Getty Images

England have been outplayed today - they did not get enough runs. Australia have shown them how to do it.

Looking for a positive over your cornflakes?

WinViz reckons England have a 37% chance of not losing this Test match...

Image source, CricViz

Phil Tufnell
Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Australia have taught England how to think about Test cricket. If you are batting, you need to go big.

They have a better mindset about the game for me. They are tougher. We have been out-Test matched. It is not necessarily skill or talent, it is discipline and how you go about it.

You cannot play Test cricket loosely.

Then it all became about Steve Smith in the evening session as he ground England down and helped Australia go well beyond the tourists' first-innings total.

Smith put a huge value on his wicket - offering a glimmer of chance of Josh Tongue but not much more.

Having not made a century in this Ashes series he duly reached three figures.

England's bowlers endured a tough afternoon with Matthew Potts going wicketless having been recalled to the side.

Smith finished the day unbeaten on 129 runs as Australia closed the day on 518-7 - a lead by 134 runs - and will resume his innings alongside Beau Webster on day four.

Head was eventually trapped lbw by Jacob Bethell - one of three wickets to fall during the afternoon session as Australia advanced from 281-3 at lunch to 377-6 at tea.

Usman Khawaja was out lbw to Brydon Carse for 17 (49) in what could be his final Test innings.

Then Josh Tongue had Alex Carey caught at leg slip by Bethell.

Just waking up? Let's recap what's happened on day three at the SCG.

Australia began the day 166-2 and Travis Head put England to the sword in the morning session with a 166-ball 163 at the top of the order.

It was his third century of the series.

However, he should have been dismissed on 121, with Will Jacks guilty of a horror drop on the boundary.

England also burned their two remaining reviews in the morning session as they desperately tried to shift nightwatchman Michael Neser (24 off 90).