Summary

  • Fifth Test, day one, Sydney - England win toss and bat

  • Root and Brook both hit fifties in unbroken 154-run partnership before bad light and rain eventually lead to early close at 06:00 GMT, with England 211-3

  • Duckett, Crawley and Bethell fall in first 13 overs to leave tourists 57-3

  • Australia hold unassailable 3-1 series lead

  • Highlights available on iPlayer from 17:00 GMT

  • Day two will begin 30 minutes early at 23:00 GMT Sunday 4 January (10:00 local time, Monday 5 January)

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Live Reporting

by Elizabeth Botcherby & Timothy Abraham

  1. Thanks Tim. Although I might need you to take back over while I hunt down the back of the sofa for my sunny disposition...

    Shall we look back on the action from the first two sessions? Go on then.

  2. rain stops play

    Rain stops play

    Clouds at SCGGetty Images

    A bit of grim vista at the SCG.

    Thankfully, Elizabeth Botcherby has a very sunny disposition.

    She'll keep you updated on the weather, and drum up some talking points in the absence of any cricket.

  3. Stephan Shemilt
    BBC Sport chief cricket reporter in Sydney

    I can confirm it's raining now.

  4. Play officially delayed by bad light. But there's some rain incoming, folks.

  5. Off for the weather but WinViz has England in the box seat.

    We've not been able to say that too often during the winter, have we?

    WinViz gives Australia 35% chance of victory, England 61% and the draw 4%CricViz

  6. Showers are forecast for the next few hours in Sydney but it is due to brighten up. Still a few minutes of the tea interval to go but the covers are coming on.

    BBC Weather forecast for SydneyBBC Weather

  7. A few more spits and spots at the SCG as the ground staff, in their various glorified golf buggies, prepare to launch into action when the moment comes.

  8. Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    It looks slightly misty and gloomy out there. If the rain comes, it could be day-ending.

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    Big fork of lightning behind the Members Pavilion, along with a couple of rumbles of thunder. It feels like we’re all about to get quite wet.

    Holly, with the Barmy Army at the SCG

  10. England 211-3 at tea

    Rather pragmatically the umpires have decided to take a slightly early tea.

    A wicketless session for Australia. A fruitful one for England.

    Harry Brook and Joe Root will be eyeing SCG centuries.

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    There is nothing wrong with the light levels. Joe Root and Harry Brook are seeing it like a beach ball.

    Ryan S at the SCG

  12. Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    The umpires may have had word that the storm is coming. There is always potential for lightning and authorities are naturally overly suspicious.

  13. Bad light stops play

    A groundskeeper signals for the covers as a light delay is called duringGetty Images

    Boos from some sections of the crowd SCG as the umpires take the players off the field.

    There have been a few rumbles in the distance, and it is very gloomy.

  14. Eng 208-3

    Joe Root works Michael Neser off his toes for a single and is unbeaten on 72 off 103 balls.

    Harry Brook is 78 not out off 92 balls.

  15. Eng 208-3

    Harry Brook gets his shuffle on, dancing down to Cameron Green and thwacking him through the covers with a dismissive slap.

    A half-hearted appeal from Alex Carey when Brook misses an uppercut to Green. No chance Australia will burn a review, though.

    The partnership between Joe Root and Brook is now worth 151 off 187 balls.

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    Big black clouds near the SCG and very muggy.

    Catherine, at a bus stop by the SCG

  17. Eng 202-3

    Well done, Tom.

    Freddie Brown's father, Roger, was a handy cricketer as well. He took a five-for for the Lima Cricket & Football Club against Pelham Warner's MCC tourists in 1926-27.

    Incidentally, they reckon they've never lost a ball to rain in Lima, which is, of course, on the edge of the Atacama desert.

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    Thigh pad to helmet wave height. And don’t have a scooby which England captain was born here, but need to know.

    Ed (the surfer in Cerro Azul, Peru)

    Freddie Brown was the England cricket captain born in Peru. I claim my Peruvian sols.

    Tom Gray, North Wales

  19. How's stat?!

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    CricViz analyst

    Joe Root and Harry Brook have an excellent record batting together in Tests. In 38 innings as a pair, they've scored 2,409 runs at 65.1 average with six 100-plus and 11 fifty-plus partnerships.

    Of the 26 partners with 2,000+ runs for England in Tests, only two other pairs average better than Root & Brook.

    Highest average as a pair in Tests for England (Min. 2,000 runs):

    1. Jack Hobbs & Herbert Sutcliffe - 87.9
    2. Ken Barrington & Ted Dexter - 66.6
    3. Joe Root & Harry Brook - 65.1
    4. Ken Barrington & Colin Cowdrey - 64.8
    5. Alastair Cook & Kevin Pietersen - 64.7

  20. Eng 200-3

    The floodlights are on at the SCG as the clouds continue to build.

    There's a clatter of the stumps when Joe Root straight drives Cameron Green - thankfully it's at the non-striker's end and there's no hint of digit on it.

    They run a single and England reach 200 with seven wickets in hand.