1. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 05:36 GMT 4 December 2025

    Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say

    Just landed in Lima, Peru as I'm on the way to Argentina. I think keeping Starc quiet is the key for England. Crawley charging him could be a fast track to success or failure. Most likely failure.

    Martin, Lima

  2. Postpublished at 05:36 GMT 4 December 2025

    Glenn McGrath
    Ex-Australia bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    England's Joe Root plays a shot on day oneImage source, Getty Images

    Good partnership here, the pitch is playing a lot better than people would've thought. They took off a bit of grass this morning, it's tennis ball-y. Once you get in there and get used to the pitch and the bounce, you can play it quite nicely.

  3. Eng 76-2published at 18 overs

    Zak Crawley gobbles up a half-volley and smacks the ball down the ground for four. Bowler Scott Boland tried to get two hands to it but the ball went right through him.

    Crawley is into the forties (43 off 59). Mitchell Starc is back.

  4. How's stat?!published at 05:30 GMT 4 December 2025

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    CricViz analyst

    21% leaves from England batters today. This is their third-highest leave % against pacers in an innings in the Bazball era and the highest since their first series against New Zealand under this leadership.

  5. Postpublished at 05:29 GMT 4 December 2025

    Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Australia are bowling quite well here, they're restricting the boundaries.

  6. Eng 71-2published at 17 overs

    Brendan Doggett gets one to nip a little to Joe Root, who has his outside edge beaten. Root exchanges a glance with Zak Crawley.

  7. How's stat?!published at 05:25 GMT 4 December 2025

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    CricViz analyst

    A pitchmap showing how Zak Crawley has played various deliveriesImage source, CricViz

    Zak Crawley has been very efficient in this innings so far. He's cashed in when the Australian bowlers have gone full and looked to defend when they've gone short or bowled on the traditional good length.

    Facing deliveries fuller than 7m, he's scored 33 (25) at a 132 strike-rate. When Australia have gone shorter than 7m, he's scored 6 (27) at a 22 strike-rate.

  8. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 05:24 GMT 4 December 2025

    Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say

    While England are batting, I would love to be pleasantly bored for a couple of sessions. But that’s not going to happen, is it?

    Andy, Dunstable

  9. Eng 70-2published at 16 overs

    Australia's Scott Boland (C) fields the ball on his own bowling on day oneImage source, Getty Images

    "Just need to bat for most of the day" - oh, you make it sound so simple, Michael!

    Joe Root opens the 16th over with a boundary, plonking Scott Boland down the ground. Good timing.

    Zak Crawley finishes it with a play and miss. Muted "ooohs" this time.

  10. Postpublished at 05:21 GMT 4 December 2025

    Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    This outfield is heavy on the legs. England have got such a good opportunity here, they just need to bat for most of the day. It's sandy out there but soft on the legs, it's draining.

  11. How's stat?!published at 05:20 GMT 4 December 2025

    Andy Zaltzman
    Test Match Special statistician

    The Gabba has the lowest proportion of LBWs in this millennium at just ten percent.

  12. Eng 65-2published at 15 overs

    Australia's Brendan Doggett (L) shouts an unsuccessful leg-before-wicket appealImage source, Getty Images

    It's Brendan Doggett's turn to appeal, briefly going up for lbw against Joe Root. Looked high. The umpire isn't interested, neither is Steve Smith.

    Australia's bowlers have been enthusiastic in their appeals during this morning session, but without overdoing it, which I like.

    Root takes a single off the final ball of the over to retain the strike.

  13. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 05:16 GMT 4 December 2025

    Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say

    Currently in Mexico on a 12 hour coach journey between Mexico City and the West Coast. Loving the fight back, the coverage and hoping Root and Crawley are still in by the time I get to my destination!

    Felipe, Mexico City

    I have only just logged on and I'm listening from the departure lounge at Bangkok Airport as I'm on our way to Chang Mai. Glad I missed the first couple of overs, but it seems we are fighting back. Come on England.

    Peter, Bangkok

  14. Postpublished at 05:16 GMT 4 December 2025

    Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Zak Crawley of England batsImage source, Getty Images

    Australia know that Zak Crawley likes to find the boundary. They want to completely nullify that for him and are trying to force him to play those risky shots.

    The only way that England will get out now, quickly, is if they start trying to take the big, risky shots.

  15. Eng 64-2published at 14 overs

    Scott Boland gets some ferocious bounce, the ball comfortably above head height as it sails past Zak Crawley, who's a tall chap. It's a wide.

    Crawley finishes the over with a shake of his head as he plays and misses yet again. Ooooohs all around the Gabba and hands on heads from Australia's fielders. Please stop doing that, Zak.

  16. Postpublished at 05:10 GMT 4 December 2025

    Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    I've seen enough already to suggest that Australia need Nathan Lyon but he's not even playing.

    My guess is that Cameron Green can't do a lot of bowling. We know he's an all-rounder but he didn't do a lot of bowling in the last Test. They've probably picked the best four bowlers for these conditions.

  17. Eng 63-2published at 13 overs

    Brendan Doggett gets things back under way after drinks. England add five to their tally.

    Joe Root has settled nicely after his skittish start, including running a quite casual three after finding a gap in the covers. He has 20 (28).

  18. How's stat?!published at 05:06 GMT 4 December 2025

    Soham Sarkhel
    CricViz analyst

    CrawleyImage source, CricViz

    Zak Crawley has scored 20 runs off 10 front-foot drives today. Before this, in Australia, he had 33 runs for three dismissals off that shot. Crawley is batting even further out than what he was doing at Perth.

    Since the start of 2024, Crawley, on average, has been intercepting deliveries 2.26m from the stumps; the only batter in the world who intercepts it further down the track is Mikyle Louis.

  19. Postpublished at 05:05 GMT 4 December 2025

    Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Whatever my expectations are, England always suprise me. I tend to now just take what we are given.

  20. Postpublished at 05:04 GMT 4 December 2025

    Here's a reminder of those two Mitchell Starc wickets...