Farbrace acknowledges England bowling limitations but refuses to concede defeat

England admit Steve Smith and Mitch Marsh have exposed the limitations of their bowling attack overseas – but insist the Ashes are far from lost yet.

Assistant coach Paul Farbrace provided his assessment after Australia captain Smith, with a career-best 229 not out, and Marsh (181no) ruled day three at the WACA.

The fifth-wicket pair piled on an unbroken 301 together to dash any hopes England had of a first-innings lead and instead take Australia an ominous 146 in front on 549 for four.

The tourists’ best chance may lie in a rare forecast for rain in Perth to help save them from a 3-0 deficit and therefore losing the urn before Christmas.

Joe Root had England’s two all-time leading wicket-takers James Anderson and Stuart Broad at his disposal, a combined 907 victims between them and taking part in their 100th Test together.

Yet in these conditions, where out-and-out pace is a weapon but English seam and swing far less so, they proved powerless.

“I don’t think we’ve learned anything from today that we didn’t already know,” said Farbrace.

“We don’t have that extra pace; we haven’t got the highest quality of magical spin.

“We have got what we’ve got.

“We feel we have managed to compete as hard as possible … but it has been an exceptionally tough day.”

Even so, he is adamant Root’s men can still battle back.

Asked if the Ashes are gone, he said: “Absolutely not. We have got two more days, and we have got to get stuck in and play exceptionally well. We have got to believe … show some guts and determination … (and) fight as hard as we possibly can.”

While Australia’s bowlers unleashed a barrage of bouncers, England simply cannot pose the same threat.

“The majority of ways we have of taking wickets with the attack we have is to be monotonous with line and length, and we have tried that,” added Farbrace.

“We thought the cracks might open up a bit more. There was a little bit of variable bounce yesterday, but it hasn’t been the case today. It’s bounced nicely off the middle of the bat.”

England lost their last six wickets for 35 runs the previous day, a costly collapse put into cruel context.

“We have got in good positions, and we have either not been good enough or they have been better and taken the initiative away,” said Farbrace. “Yesterday was very disappointing, to be in a position where 550 looked a good score for us.

“It does knock the stuffing out of you a bit … (but) I don’t think we have been flat, or lacking effort. On that wicket, we just haven’t got anything else to offer.

“When you have had a day like this, it’s very easy to have spells where you look like the wheels have come off completely.”

Marsh marked his comeback Test on his home ground with his maiden hundred.

Taking guard after brother Shaun fell to Moeen Ali, there were echoes in what followed of their father Geoff’s famous dismissal of another England attack – when he and Mark Taylor batted throughout the first day at Trent Bridge in 1989.

Recalling the moment he reached his century, Marsh said: “It really was just pure elation … pretty special.

“Dad always had a photo of him and Mark Taylor walking off the ground with the scorecard in his bar, so I grew up looking at that.

“We go into tomorrow only four down … in a really great position to put our foot on their throat.”