Runs, records and a rapid leg-break

The moment: It wasn't quite four-off-the-last-ball stuff, but Adam Voges’ pull shot to bring up his maiden hundred in Australia came within four minutes of stumps and brought a small but appreciative crowd to its feet. The hometown hero may never get another shot to score a Test hundred on his home ground, and he celebrated accordingly.

The shot: Voges might be 36 but he's still got all the shots of his Gen-Y teammates, a fact he's most often highlighted while playing in the orange strip of the Perth Scorchers. However, more recently he's busted out the reverse sweep in Test cricket, and to fantastic effect. Today he played the shot beautifully to move from 56 to 60, tucking off-spinner Mark Craig through the vacant region behind point and collecting a boundary for his creativity. Moments later, he did it again for the same result. Just to show that he plays it as well as anyone. 

WATCH: Voges hits hometown hundred

The talking point: Whispers around the WACA before play even began suggested this might be Mitchell Johnson's last Test. Any truth? Who knows … but Tubby Taylor said on Nine's pre-match coverage that this could indeed be the end for the Aussie quick. Johnson himself said in the build-up to the Test that he thought about retirement "most days", then finished with 1-157 from 28 overs, the most expensive figures by an Australian in a Test innings at the WACA.

The trivia: Ross Taylor did the majority of his damage on day three but spent the morning of the fourth day ticking off the records. Top of the list was the highest-ever Test score by a visiting batsman in Australia (290), surpassing Reginald 'Tip' Foster's 287 set way back in 1903. It's also the highest score by a New Zealander in an away Test, breaking Stephen Fleming's mark of 274 not out, made against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2003. 

WATCH: Taylor's record-breaking knock

The hero: Yesterday was Taylor's day, so today we'll give the nod to local lad Voges (sensing a theme here?). The Western Australia captain has enjoyed a dream 2015, with a century as a 35-year-old Test debutant, but three figures on his home ground was something he'd been longing for. With 83 not out in Brisbane and 41 in the first innings, he had been threatening to go big, and today, he delivered.

The victim: Joe Burns ended Australia's strong of century opening stands with a seven-ball duck, edging a good outswinger from Tim Southee to Ross Taylor at first slip. In a match with two scores in excess of 250 and another four hundreds to boot, someone was always going to miss out. And unluckily for Burns, it was him.

The observation: Steve Smith looked a little out of sorts on the second morning of this Test match in making what was by his standards a modest contribution of 27 from 68 balls. His windy whoosh to get out was a horror shot and one he'd doubtless have admonished himself for afterward. Second time around, there was no such brain explosion. Just a calculated, methodical production of runs. Two fours in his first five balls set him on his way and he never looked back, galloping along to a 12th Test hundred. Smith batted as if he'd been affronted by any suggestion David Warner's three consecutive centuries had seen him usurp the skipper as Australia's premier batsman. On a sunny afternoon in Perth, order was emphatically restored. 

WATCH: Smith breaks second-innings hoodoo

The surprise: Smith got the shock of his life when Matt Henry pitched one on a decent length around off stump and the ball took a sharp turn from leg to off after hitting a crack in the pitch. It was the first sign of any deterioration in the wicket, and such was the size of the deviation, never threatened to catch the edge of Smith's bat.

The wash-up: Australia averted disaster today thanks to Smith and Voges, as two early wickets for the Kiwis and the absence of injured No.3 Usman Khawaja gave the tourists a little ray of hope. That's since been just about extinguished; Australia lead is approaching 200, and with three sessions in this match remaining, it's difficult to foresee any other result than a draw.  

WATCH: Henry bowls 134kph leg-break