Summary

Send us your views

Live Reporting

by Elizabeth Botcherby & Timothy Abraham

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

    Joe Root of EnglandGetty Images

    England are going about it OK. This is the perfect time for Jacob Bethell to be batting with Joe Root.

    If I were Bethell, I would be picking his brain morning, noon and night. He is the England maestro.

  2. Eng 106-2

    Jacob Bethell guides Mitchell Starc through point for four - very nice. He moves into the 40s and 100 comes up for England.

    He tries a similar shot later in the over but is forced to settle for two by a sliding Michael Neser on the rope.

    Seven off the over. Bethell has 46 (80).

  3. Eng 99-2

    Joe Root can breathe a sigh of relief. He's made it through the over. Scott Boland is getting plenty of movement out of the pitch and the nip is causing Root some issues.

    A couple of scares for the former England skipper, who has 5 (25).

  4. Not out

    Eng 99-2

    There's a gap between bat and pad. Australia lose a review.

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

    I heard a hard noise and Scott Boland is adamant.

  6. Australia review

    Everyone behind the batter goes up, Scott Boland wheels around with his arms outstretched... the umpire says no.

    Australia are going upstairs for a possible caught behind against Joe Root.

    They are convinced.

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

    Mitchell Starc of AustraliaGetty Images

    Mitchell Starc is a cruiser. He does not bustle in, he has great big strides.

    Quite menacing really.

  8. Eng 98-2

    Things appeared to be calming down a little since Jacob Bethell's near-miss towards Cameron Green at gully...

    And then Joe Root flashes one through the slips and away for four. Hands on heads all round for Australia.

  9. Get Involved

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

    Scott Boland has bowled seven overs for eight runs. How many English bowlers have bowled overs to match runs scored off it in this series?

    Neil, Wootton Bassett

  10. Eng 93-2

    Michael Neser was wincing a little as he collected his cap at the end of his eighth over. Something to keep an eye on.

    Mitchell Starc is returning to the attack.

  11. How's stat?!

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    CricViz analyst

    Ben Duckett has been dismissed bowled playing on via an edge for the second time in this Ashes.

    Across his Test career he's played on to be dismissed bowled on seven occasions.

    Since the start of June 2022, in the Bazball era, Duckett, tied with Ollie Pope, has been bowled in this method on seven occasions vs pace bowlers - the highest among all batters in the timeline.

    Most instances bowled (played on) vs pace since June 2022: Ben Duckett & Ollie Pope - 7, KL Rahul & Dimuth Karunaratne - 5, David Warner, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Harry Brook & Joe Root - 4

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

    England are making a good fist of it at the moment. I have been impressed with Jacob Bethell - he is assessing Test match cricket.

  13. Eng 92-2

    Tight bowling from Scott Boland. He has 0-8 from seven overs. Joe Root is typically solid in defence.

    An update on Ben Stokes via TMS - England expect Stokes, who is struggling with an injury to his right adductor, to bat but probably down the order.

  14. Get Involved

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

    Beau Webster was picked because he was the best player in the Sheffield Shield a few seasons ago, and he’s stepped up and performed. Cameron Green needs to prove he’s in the best 11 to play, then perform. This focus on all-rounders is a bit overblown I suspect, we haven’t had a great Test all-rounder since Andrew Symonds but we’ve had strong teams.

    Matt, Adelaide

  15. Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    Michael Neser is getting the ball to nip away from the left-hander. There is that little bit of extra bounce.

    He is a strong bowler, broad shouldered.

  16. Eng 91-2

    Decisively struck by Jacob Bethell, dispatching Michael Neser through mid-wicket for four!

    The rest of the over, however, is a little sketchy. Bethell is forced to kick one away from the stumps and then sees an edge drop just short of Cameron Green at gully. I'll give Green the benefit of the doubt on that one - it just about didn't carry and he did well to get down to it, diving to his left.

  17. Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    You wonder how much energy Joe Root has got left after yesterday. He needs to get through the first 20 balls and then he gets into his flow.

  18. Eng 86-2

    This SCG crowd have had plenty to "ooooh" about in the 20 minutes since lunch.

    This time it's a delivery from Scott Boland whistling past Joe Root's outside edge that gets them talking.

    Maiden.

  19. Get Involved

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

    To DB, Yorkshire (01:11). This is supposed to be the most exciting, talented side in years up against an ageing, depleted Australian side. Instead of taking advantage of that, we've prepared dreadfully, our mindset has been shambolic, we've not once played how the game state requires us to, which has resulted in at least two Tests being thrown away. When the bowlers turn up, the batters don't and vice versa. It's an infuriating state of affairs and every single person involved, from the top to the bottom, needs to take accountability and a very serious review needs to take place.

    Lee, Sunderland

  20. Eng 86-2

    Oh, that could have been two in two for Michael Neser, who gets one to kick up at Joe Root.

    Later in the over, he draws Jacob Bethell into a couple of plays and misses.

    Mitchell Starc, Travis Head, and Alex Carey have dominated the headlines for Australia but Neser has made his fair share of important contributions with the ball.