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. Get Involved

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    Listening in North Wales hanging onto the remains of the festive holidays and the hope of a competitive Test match before work on Monday! I wonder what Ben Duckett’s New Year’s resolution was?

    Paul in Mold

  2. Eng 43-1

    Scott Boland can't believe he hasn't got a wicket there, Jacob Bethell coming forward and having his outside edge beaten. Lovely bowling.

    Bethell runs through off the next delivery... but it's a leg-bye. He remains on nought.

  3. Ben Duckett's Ashes.... 21, 28, 0, 15, 29, 4, 2, 34, 27.

    I'll just leave that there.

  4. Get Involved

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    Ben Duckett surely has one more innings to keep his place. Shocker of a series!

    AVD, Cheltenham

    Oh Duckett! Just leave that alone.

    James, Bexleyheath

    Duckett out "wafting". Again. Sigh.

    Glen. Hampshire

  5. How's stat?!

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    CricViz analyst

    Mitchell Starc has now dismissed Ben Duckett on five occasions in this Ashes series. Across his Test career, Starc has dismissed only two other batters on as many occasions in a series - Dimuth Karunaratne & Kusal Mendis - both in the 2016 tour to Sri Lanka.

  6. Glenn McGrath
    Ex-Australia bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    Mitchell Starc of Australia is congratulated by Steve SmithGetty Images

    I wouldn't mind seeing a few short balls from Australia now just to see how Jacob Bethell handles it.

  7. Eng 41-1

    A drama-free maiden from Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell.

  8. Eng 41-1

    Zak Crawley bashes a fuller delivery from Scott Boland down the ground for four.

    He runs two to move into double figures at the end of the eighth over.

    Crawley has 11 (23). Jacob Bethell is yet to get off the mark, although he's only faced one delivery.

  9. Eng 35-1

    Oh ho! A bit of a play and miss there from Jacob Bethell to start his innings.

    He earned plenty of praise for his performance in Melbourne but will want a chunk of runs at the SCG to bat Ollie Pope - his rival at number three - out of the equation.

  10. Glenn McGrath
    Ex-Australia bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    S England's Ben Duckett (R) walks off the ground after being dismissed by Australia's Mitchell Starc (CGetty Images

    Mitchell Starc is dangerous with the new ball. Ben Duckett has not been hugely lucky this series, whereas Starc is continuing his good form.

  11. Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    Ben Duckett’s cameo is over! Mitchell Starc does it again.

    Duckett was chancing his arm but he was playing and missing.

  12. wicket

    WICKET

    Duckett c Carey b Starc 27 (Eng 35-1)

    Four, four, and OUT.

    That felt a little inevitable - how long were England really going to keep Mitchell Starc out of the wickets?

    Ben Duckett edges behind and wicketkeeper Alex Carey dives across first slip to pouch the catch. Duckett departs for 27 (24). Sigh.

  13. Get Involved

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    Currently listening on a Hong Kong to London flight after an Australia trip that included both days at Melbourne. The only tickets we had, so feel very fortunate to have seen that. Girding myself for the London temperatures!

    Nick Patience - in the sky

    Up with my nine-year-old trying to explain about the importance of the length of the grass...

    Katharine, Cambridge

  14. How's stat?!

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    CricViz analyst

    The SCG is traditionally one of the best venues for batting on day one. In the last 10 years on day one at this venue, the batting average is 53.1 - easily the best of all Australian venues.

    Of all venues across the world to have hosted more than five Tests since the start of 2015, only one other venue has a better average on day one - the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui at 62.0 average.

    Batting average on day one in Australia over last 10 years:

    • Sydney Cricket Ground - 53.1
    • Adelaide Oval - 37.8
    • Melbourne Cricket Ground - 34.3
    • The Gabba, Brisbane - 34.3
    • Perth Stadium - 31.6

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

    Scott Boland always makes something happen off the pitch. That one darted back - it was really close.

    He gets that heaviness from the ball.

  16. Eng 27-0

    Scott Boland replaces Michael Neser and gets one to nip past Ben Duckett's outside edge. Start ooohing again.

    Later in the over, there's a noisy appeal for lbw against Zak Crawley, who catches the ball in between his knee and the top of his pad. You don't see that very often. Australia opt against the review - looked high.

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

    Ben Duckett of England bats during day one of the Fifth Test in the 2025/26 Ashes Series between Australia and EnglandGetty Images

    England are slightly more watchful. They have realised they need to get into the new ball.

    There is nothing too extravagant from the openers so far.

  18. Eng 26-0

    Lovely shot from Ben Duckett to start the over, caressing Mitchell Starc through mid-wicket for four.

    The third ball is spanked down the ground for another boundary.

    In between, however, there was an ugly old swipe at a shorter delivery. Put that away.

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

    England are a bit jittery with their running. The openers are having a little chat in the middle about what to do - sometimes they are not sure whether to take a run or not.

  20. Eng 17-0

    A leg-bye and a single added to England's tally.