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Live Reporting

by Elizabeth Botcherby, Timothy Abraham & George Booth

  1. Get Involved

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    Mitchell Starc is managing his shots and time better than England have done throughout this match.

    Jez, Bacup

  2. Aus 446-8

    Lead by 112 runs

    Ho hum, not exactly ideal from an England perspective this is it?

    Scott Boland nearly chops on to Brydon Carse, but instead it misses the stumps and England's sweltering angst continues.

    A maiden from Carse is a crumb of comfort.

  3. How's stat?!

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    CricViz analyst

    England's bowling average by year in the Bazball era:

    • 2022 - 28.5
    • 2023 - 30.7
    • 2024 - 31.5
    • 2025 - 39.6

    England have struggled to pick up wickets this year averaging 39.6 in 2025 in the eight matches so far. On 91 occasions that England have bowled 6000+ deliveries in a calendar year in Test, their average in 2025 is the sixth-worst overall.

    England's worst bowling average in a year (min. 6000 deliveries):

    • 1989 - 57.9
    • 1993 - 51.4
    • 1948 - 41.5
    • 1984 - 40.4
    • 2002 - 39.9
    • 2025 - 39.6
    • 1921 - 39.1

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    I see England's cunning plan. Keep Mitchell Starc out there as long as possible to tire him out so that he is not so effective at bowling.

    Lee, Plymouth

  5. Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Lovely shot from Mitchell Starc.

    Every single minute that England are out there it gets more and more frustrating for them.

    They will have Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett thinking, 'When will we get our pads on?'

  6. Aus 446-8

    Nicely played by Scott Boland, who picks up a boundary of his own with a deft guide through the vacant third region.

    Later in the over Boland flicks one round the corner off his hip and the ball falls just short of the diving Ben Duckett at leg gully.

    Mitchell Starc then crisply drives the final delivery of Stokes' over through the covers for four.

    Frustration for England as they continue to melt in the Brisbane heat.

  7. Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    It feels like it has been a while since a boundary and Mitchell Starc goes, 'I'll have a crack at that. Thanks very much'.

  8. Aus 437-8

    England have taken two wickets in this session.

    We've had 12 overs since then where Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc have patiently eked out 21 runs

    Starc drives Brydon Carse on the up to pick up a rare boundary off the penultimate ball of the England seamer's over before dispatching an on drive to the fence next ball.

    Australia lead by 103 runs.

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    StokesGetty Images

    We will come into bat just as it starts to get dark, what a surprise.

    Dan, High Wycombe

    England's problem with getting out the tailenders continues, it's going to be a problem.

    A

  10. Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    It is not something England are good at being patient.

    I love watching Ben Stokes. He wears his heart on his sleeve.

    He leads from the front and he is so passionate. That's probably why these guys love playing for him.

  11. Aus 429-8

    Scott Boland dabs one into the off side to pinch a single off the first ball of Ben Stokes' over. Stokes is incandescent with the lack of intensity from his fielders.

    The England skipper strikes Mitchell Starc on the pad with the third delivery of the over but it's flying down leg.

    Next ball Stokes beats the outside edge of Starc's bat before the Aussie left-hander pinches the strike with a flick off his hips.

    A session of grindball has seen Australia's lead progress to 95 runs.

  12. How's stat?!

    Andy Zaltzman
    Test Match Special statistician

    That's the fourth maiden in the last seven overs.

  13. Aus 427-8

    Australia wearing England down as the mercury touches 30c in Brisbane.

    Brydon Carse mops his brown with a sweat band on his arm before running in to bowl.

    He manages a maiden to Mitchell Starc, who has seen off 56 dots in his 73-ball innings of 29.

  14. Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    There is nothing more bowlers love than having a bat. We always feel hard done by when we don't get an opportunity to have a bat.

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    Dropped a toaster on my foot and been in A&E all night... I suppose watching England toil is better than the magazines available, but barely. Come on Stokesy we need some magic.

    Jonah, London

  16. Aus 427-8

    Not sure I've ever seen Darth Vader in shorts. He was always the picture of sartorial menace with his kecks on.

    Ben Stokes draws an edge off the bat off Mitchell Starc, but it doesn't quite carry to Joe Root in the slips.

    The England skipper is on his haunches in frustration.

  17. "Just waiting here for my gaffer. Don't mind me."

    DarthGetty Images

  18. Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    It was in the air for a while and that was a little bit of fortune for Mitchell Starc.

  19. Aus 426-8

    Brydon Carse is back into the attack and a flat-batted swipe from Mitchell Starc off the final ball of his over is sent aerial.

    Jofra Archer is in range of it at mid-off but the ball drops short of him. Could Archer have dived there? Possibly.

    Fine margins.

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    Fascinated by this Australian tactic of every player scoring. Perhaps something England could try in their second innings?

    Chris, Liverpool