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Live Reporting

by Timothy Abraham, Elizabeth Botcherby, Esha Nayar & George Booth

  1. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

    They have battled away, Ben Stokes and Joe Root. It has not been easy. That period was the real danger time for the batsmen.

  2. 'Starc is one of our greatest bowlers'

    Mitchell StarcGetty Images

    Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey on Mitchell Starc, who has overtaken Wasim Akram as the leading wicket-taker among left-arm pacers in Test cricket: "He is one of our greatest bowlers that Australia has seen and now the world has seen."

    On the conditions under lights: "It has quickened up a little bit.

    "Our eyes adjust a little bit, that slight variation what we see from night to day has started to come in.

    "It will be full darkness when we come back out."

  3. Harry Brook also departed in the second session, Mitchell Starc collecting his third wicket of the day.

    But Joe Root and Ben Stokes remain in the middle. Root has 68 (129) and the question on everyone's lips is will he make his first century in Australia?

  4. However, they rebuilt through Zak Crawley and Joe Root, who put on 117 for the third wicket.

    Crawley, who posted a pair of ducks in Perth, made 76 (93) before falling to Michael Neser early in the second session.

  5. England elected to bat after Ben Stokes won the toss but were soon in trouble, with Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope departing for ducks.

  6. Thanks Tim. I've eaten all of my fun snacks, so I'm munching on an apple of an unknown age that was lingering at the bottom of my rucksack.

    98-2 in the first session, 98-2 in the second, can we make it three in a row?

    Before we find out, let's recap day one so far.

  7. England 196-4 at tea

    England manage to get through to the interval without any further incursions into the wickets column.

    That's tea, or dinner, whichever you prefer.

    I'm off to grab some sustenance of my own. Thankfully, Elizabeth Botcherby is on hand to talk you through the break and beyond.

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    What are we calling a decent first-innings total for England here?

    Sadiq Chikte, Southend-on-Sea

  9. Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    It is good keeping. Alex Carey is taking it like it's a piece of cake.

  10. Eng 196-4

    Alex Carey stood up to the stumps to Michael Neser, who is finding a bit of nip and movement off the pitch to the left-handed Ben Stokes.

    The Aussie wicketkeeper takes a beauty at head height after Neser digs one into the pitch and Stokes sways out of the way.

    Stokes then ends a maiden over with a stout defensive shot.

  11. Stephan Shemilt
    BBC Sport chief cricket reporter in Brisbane

    That popper from Michael Neser to Ben Stokes in the last over. Scott Boland got a couple to scoot through earlier on. The curator said the grass on the pitch is only 3mm in length. That is short.

    As a comparison, Perth was between 6-8mm. In this heat, and without the grass to hold it together, the pitch could break up. Handy to be bowling last, not handy to be without a spinner.

    Now, if England can just get a score...

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    Harry Brook might have an average of 56 but he’s still a nightmare to watch with some of his shot selection. Rein it in and he could be the English Bradman.

    Keith, Bedfordshire

  13. Eng 196-4

    Mitchell Starc bounds in, sweat glistening on his forehead and sweat bands on each arm.

    However, his latest over is safely navigated by Ben Stokes and Joe Root at the Gabba.

    A tense period for England.

  14. How's stat?!

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    CricViz analyst

    Graphic showing Harry Brook's dismissals against Mitchell StarcCricViz

    Harry Brook falls driving to a full and wide delivery from Mitchell Starc. Three of Brook's four dismissals against Starc have been to deliveries wide of off stump.

    Across his career, Brook averages 7.7 (23 runs, 18 balls, three dismissals) facing these wide line deliveries from the left-arm pacer.

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    This is why I cannot class Harry Brook as world-class just yet. Game awareness is something he lacks and it costs England time and time again!

    Ollie Hall, Stockport

  16. Eng 195-4

    England are approaching this is a very mature fashion following the loss of Harry Brook to Mitchell Starc a little earlier.

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    One of the most important innings in Ben Stokes' captaincy for me. He's got to support Joe Root.

    Jack Moye, Sudbury

  18. Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    We have not seen the ball do anything like that before. That leapt up at Ben Stokes.

  19. Eng 194-4

    NeserGetty Images

    A change of bowling for Australia as Michael Neser - brought in for this Test because of his skill with the pink ball under lights - is introduced into the attack.

    Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook says on TNT Sports that batting here "has changed under lights" but it is "not unplayable by any means".

    Ben Stokes is digging in. Defending and leaving well until the last ball of the over when he's hurried for pace and a leading edge pops up. Thankfully, from an England perspective, Neser cannot reach it on his follow through and it drops safe.