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Live Reporting

by Elizabeth Botcherby & Timothy Abraham

  1. England 80-1 at lunch

    The jolly Green giant, not so jolly after that drop.

    A leg-bye and two singles off Cameron Green's over before lunch as Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell navigate their way to the interval without any further alarm.

    Duckett is unbeaten on 40, while Bethell is 28 not out.

    England trail by 103 runs.

  2. Get Involved

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

    Re DB (01:11) - I feel like the point is that we've not been as bad as those series because this is a much better England team (on paper), but they've been so badly prepared and not taken their opportunities that it makes this drubbing much harder to take.

    George, Melbourne

    Re DB, have we been not as bad or simply played an Australian team who are not as good as previous ones? I can find very few positives about our performances.

    Eddie in Bali

  3. Eng 78-1

    A curious session this. After the opening burst from Australia's bowlers, England have found it quite easy going but all of sudden a few balls are starting to misbehave.

  4. Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    That should have been a straightforward catch. I can't believe I have seen that!

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

    Cameron Green made good ground to it with his long limbs.

    It was Steve Smith's catch really - he would have gobbled that up.

  6. dropped catch

    Duckett dropped on 38

    What on earth was Cameron Green doing?

    Michael Neser gets one to climb off a length to Ben Duckett, who is drawn into defending and edges to second slip.

    Steve Smith is perfectly positioned to take a comfortable catch, only for the hulking figure of Cameron Green to appear diving in front of him.

    Green ends up shelling the catch. Smith is not best pleased.

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

    Cameron Green's bowling is a bit like his batting - inconsistent. We know he can do it but he needs more consistency in both.

  8. Eng 76-1

    acob Bethell (middle) of England reacts after being struck by the ball during day four of the Fifth Test in the 2025/26 Ashes Series between Australia and EnglandGetty Images

    A change of helmet required for Jacob Bethell, who gets another bouncer from Cameron Green to finish the over.

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

    Jacob Bethell of EnglandGetty Images

    That has absolutely flew. A brutal delivery.

  10. Eng 76-1

    Wowzers! Cameron Green with a nasty ball to Jacob Bethell, which leaps off the pitch and thuds into his helmet, near his ear as he attempts to get his noggin out the way.

    Bethell is floored, but he's chuckling away. We'll have a cursory concussion check.

    Four leg-byes to England.

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

    Jacob Bethell of EnglandGetty Images

    Jacob Bethell has really good foot movement, going after the ball. He has got himself in now and he is trying to be a bit more expansive.

  12. Eng 65-1

    More crisp driving from Jacob Bethell to admire. It's a tad wide from Mitchell Starc but boy does Bethell dispatch it square of the wicket.

    Joe Root and Ben Stokes pictured in deep discussion on a bench outside the away dressing room at the SCG.

    They look like one of those couples you see having a heart-to-heart in the park that you slowly walk past desperately straining your ears to listen into.

  13. Eng 57-1

    Ben Duckett of EnglandGetty Images

    Ben Duckett is commanding on the pull. He rolls his wrists over another Cameron Green short ball and ruthlessly whips it to the boundary in front of square.

  14. Get Involved

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    England have been bad this series but they’ve been nowhere near as bad as 2013-14, 2018-19 or 2021-22. I’ll take away this series as a what could have been. We’ve underperformed on reasonable expectations six weeks ago. Roll on next year…

    DB, Yorkshire

  15. Eng 53-1

    Trail by 130 runs

    Cameron Green into the attack. He bangs it in short to Ben Duckett, who picks up the length and pulls the Aussie all-rounder's second ball in front of square for four.

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

    What an opportunity for Jacob Bethell. He has not made any rash shots so far.

    I like the way he walks around, he is casual with the bat over his shoulder.

  17. Eng 49-1

    Ben Duckett of EnglandGetty Images

    Mitchell Starc gets some late swing to Ben Duckett but the England opener manages to effortlessly clip through mid-wicket for four.

    He punches gloves with Jacob Bethell. It all looks so easy now doesn't it?

    We're being lulled in here aren't we? They're a pair of lullers, Jeremy.

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

    A crisp, efficient stroke from Jacob Bethell - one of the best cover drives you will see.

    Michael Neser is not getting his lines right today.

  19. Eng 42-1

    Alex Carey has been stood back to Michael Neser but decides it's time to get himself up to the stumps.

    Jacob Bethell plays a cover drive to die for off the penultimate delivery of Neser's over.

    You can hear the Bethellistas, Bethellites and Bethellonados purring from here.

  20. How's stat?!

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    CricViz analyst

    Mitchell Starc of AustraliaGetty Images

    Mitchell Starc is back again for his second spell within four overs. His opening few minutes back had an average swing of 1.93° - the highest of all his opening spells in this series.

    Of all his opening spells in this Ashes, this was also the highest in terms of percentage deliveries hitting the stumps - quick, lethal and accurate.