Fourth Ashes Test, Australia v England, The MCG, day five recap

Fourth Ashes Test: Latest score

Match drawn

Australia 2nd inns: 263-4d (124.2 overs. Smith 102*, Warner 86, Bancroft 27, M Marsh 29*, Khawaja 11; Root 1-1, Broad 1-43, Woakes 1-62, Anderson 1-46)

England 1st inns: 491 (144.1 overs. Cook 244*, Root 61, Broad 56, Woakes 26, Bairstow 22, Ali 20, Vince 17, Stoneman 15, Malan 14; Hazlewood 3-95, Lyon 3-109, Cummins 4-117)

Australia 1st inns: 327 (119 overs. Warner 103, Smith 76, S Marsh 61, Bancroft 26, Paine 24, Khawaja 17; Broad 4-51, Curran 1-65, Anderson 3-61, Woakes 2-72)

• Sky Bet Ashes odds
• Dave Tickner's Five-fer

0548: CLOSE: Match drawn
The maths has been done. Two balls into the 125th over, Smith declares and the players shake hands on a draw. Easy enough for Australia in the end, England's one small window of opportunity slammed shut pretty quickly after lunch by Smith and Marsh. Decent Test until the last few hours, which were a bit rubbish. Cook, Warner, Smith all brilliant with the bat. Cummins and Broad with particularly noteworthy bowling efforts in the conditions. Last point of order is man of the match, which controversially goes to Alastair Cook.

0535: Marsh gets three for a cover-drive. We're about eight overs from handshakes, and six overs from Alastair Cook's Bob Willis impression.

0527: Just another hundred for Steve Smith then. What an absolute nonsense of a cricketer he is. Just three minutes outside the the four hours bookmarked at 0124. Fifties back to 22, hundreds tick inevitably on to 23.

0522: Smith goes past 600 runs for the series at just 150 apiece.

0515: There is nothing happening. Australia have toughed it out brilliantly today, but there's something wrong with a Test pitch that's flatter on day five than it is on day one.

0500: Smith pulls his 3000th Test run in Australia. At an average of 76.92, which is obscene.

0454: Top shot from Marsh, entitled to have a bit of fun now the main work of the day is done. Rocks back and steers a back-of-a-length delivery from Broad behind point for four.

0446: Good ball from Broad, tailing in late to Marsh and squirted away through square-leg off a thick inside edge.

0441: Anderson draws a genuine edge from Smith, driving outside the off stump. It dribbles along the ground for four.

0438: Marsh's second boundary is identical to his first, cover-driven to the fence. Twenty-one overs until the handshakes.

0434: Back under way for the final session of the Test.

0414: TEA: Australia, 225-4, lead England by 61 runs
Magnificent rearguard from Smith and Marsh in that session, and it's job done for Australia. Marsh is 10 from 97 balls, but one of those numbers is far, far more important than the other. The new ball has been and gone. It's hard to think what any of England's bowlers could really have done differently. Anderson and Broad have been immense again. The draw is now 1/100.

0354: One last burst from Anderson, who has been excellent again today. Goes past Smith's outside edge and turns away with an air of weary resignation.

0340: The lead is past 50. Surely time for a man with a Test bowling average of seven to have a trundle. He's done nothing else this week.

0315: Drinks in the afternoon session. Australia almost out of the woods now. The lead is 41, with 51 overs remaining.

0301: The 200 is up. Starting to look pretty safe again for Australia. The draw now 1/7 again. Can all change in one ball, though...

0259: Probably the first genuinely poor ball England have bowled since lunch. It's an attempted bouncer from Woakes, but it's down the legside at 80mph and easily helped on its way to the fine-leg fence by Smith.

0250: Smith and Marsh have achieved their first objective. Anderson and Broad off, Woakes and Curran on.

0241: Marsh off the mark with a cracking cover-drive off Broad. It's a great shot, but England shouldn't mind it.

0237: Marsh solidly defends the last five balls of Anderson's over. He's nought off 19.

0234: Huge slice of luck for Smith! Takes on the short ball from Broad and sends a top-edge high into the legside but finds safety between long-leg and deep square-leg. Broad then goes past Marsh's outside edge again.

0225: New ball due. The next 20 overs decide this match.

0224: Close! England bowling brilliantly since lunch, and it almost brings the wicket as Marsh goes for the big drive and slices a thick outside edge just short of gully.

0217: Big appeal for a catch down the legside against Marsh. England decide not to review - they wasted one yesterday - and it looks like it's just flicked the top strap of the pad on its way through.

0215: Broad now goes past Mitchell Marsh's outside edge. Suddenly looks a bit iffy for Australia.

0211: Really clever old-ball bowling this from Anderson. Goes round the wicket to Smith and then switches back to over. Drags him across the crease - even further than usual - and draws him in to playing at one he could have left. Luckily for Smith the ball beats rather than finds the edge.

0207: We're back for the afternoon session.

0202: Cheers from the Barmy Army as the covers are peeled off.

0138: It's absolutely wazzing it down with rain again in Melbourne. England might have got lucky here; should blow itself out during the lunch break.

0134: The draw hit 1/33 when Warner and Smith were together and looking like they wouldn't get out if they played for a month. But Warner has given England an opening, and the stalemate is now 1/3. England are 5/2. You know what? I wouldn't entirely discount Australia at 50/1 if England are left chasing, say, 140 off 35 overs.

0129: LUNCH: Australia, 178-4, lead England by 14 runs
Those two late wickets have just given England a sniff. Scoring runs has been so tough that Australia have only managed to eke out the slenderest of leads in 76 overs. If the new ball talks for England, then you just never know. Still 66 overs to go, and Australia probably need to bat 40-odd to make this completely safe. Absolutely no reason why they shouldn't, but cricket is a silly game. Last seven wickets fell for just 67 in Australia's first innings...

0128: WICKET! Fantastic catch from Bairstow to end the session! He's standing incredibly close on this slow, low pitch, but this edge from Marsh flies through. He instinctively dives left and pouches it in the left glove. Essentially like a goalkeeper making a point-blank save. England just about keeping the game alive.

0124: Smith just casually helps himself to another 50. He's basically had a four-hour net. It's his 23rd in Tests, but expect that number to drop back to 22 in the next four hours.

0114: Marsh off the mark in streaky style with a genuine edge wide of second slip. Runs away for four, the lead is 13.

0110: Shaun Marsh smacks a cover-drive straight into Alastair Cook's "midriff" at silly mid-off. Root thinks this is hilarious. I'm certain that's happened before.

0104: Anderson straight back into the attack at the fall of that wicket.

0102: The draw goes from 1/33 to 1/8.

0059: WICKET! Well that was unexpected. Root brings himself on for a laugh and tosses one up outside Warner's off stump. He's been a model of self-restraint for hours and hours but can't resist this. Slices it high in the air to cover where James Vince takes a simple catch. Lovely birthday present for the England skipper from Warner. Good to see he and Root have truly settled their differences.

0051: Smith slaps a cover-drive through a packed field and collects four more. Plays miles away from his body but his freakish hand-eye coordination means the ball is never going to be anywhere other than right in the middle of the bat.

0050: Warner and Smith came together with a 99-run deficit. They now have a one-run lead. Maths types will notice that means this is a hundred partnership.

0048: Smith slaps a sweep into the ground and bounces it over leg-slip for four. Scores are level.

0045: Stopped raining. Covers off. Players back out there.

0038: Rain Stopped Play. And they're going off. Only decision here is whether there's enough rain for some early lunch shenanigans or just wait it out if it's only going to be a short delay. Forecast nothing like yesterday, shouldn't rain for long here.

0036: Bit of rain starting to fall.

0028: Dawid Malan into the attack. That this is such an obvious and correct move a fair summation of Moeen's current form.

0024: Warner starting to free himself up now. Reckon he's decided the match is now safe. Crashes a cover-drive to the fence and then scurries a quick single as Curran continues to send down a bag of Revels. Slower balls, cutters, seam up. Nothing really working.

0015: Productive over for Australia in the end. Warner also knocking Curran away to the legside for a couple of couples. Deficit down to 26.

0013: Four for Warner from that half-pull he plays. Nailed it this time, but it's a shot that has got him in trouble against England time and time again down the years. England shouldn't mind him playing it.

0003: Moeen floats one up to tempt Warner. Overpitches it, though, and Warner slaps the resulting full-toss easily through the covers for four. Big spell for Moeen even if the match has gone here. Far from certain to play in Sydney as things stand.

0000: England trying everything here, to be fair. They're up against two wonderful players on a pitch that's completely died, though. Now got Broad bowling very straight to Smith with a ring of fielders in front of the bat on both sides of the wicket.

2346: First look at poor old Moeen Ali today. Three singles off his over, which is roughly the equivalent of going for about 20 in normal conditions. It's a decent over, to be fair, with a Smith leading edge responsible for one of those singles. The field's wrong as well, with Warner given easy singles down the ground. See if he's willing and able to hit over the top in this situation, surely.

2342: Genuine chance these two bat out the day without covering off the first-innings deficit. No run in the last three overs.

2327: Fifty partnership for Warner and Smith. Warner's previous slowest half-century, for what it's worth, a 133-ball effort against the West Indies in Roseau five years ago.

2324: Warner battles to 50. Remarkable innings, his slowest Test 50 - 161 balls! - and an innings of real concentration and self-restraint to thwart England. Pretty close to job done for Australia, really. England need to bowl Australia out by tea at the absolute latest, and that looks a near impossible task. The rain and the pitch are going to win this Test.

2321: Rare false shot from Smith, dangling his bat listlessly outside off stump to Anderson and making no contact. Didn't carry anyway.

2317: There is nothing happening for the bowlers in these early stages. The draw is 2/7 and that probably underplays its chances to be honest.

2311: First boundary of the day - there were six scored yesterday - comes for Warner via a thick, safe edge to third-man.

2304: First runs of the morning come from the final ball of the first full over, bowled by Anderson and driven for three by Warner through the covers.

2259: The players are out there, under sunny but slightly cloudy skies. Woakes to bowl the last ball of the over he never managed to finish yesterday afternoon.

2245: It's a red-letter day for England in Australia. There are - surely - only two results possible today, and an England defeat isn't one of them. Having lost 14 of their last 18 Tests here, that's something. Whether they can turn a near-certain draw into victory is another matter. Early wickets the key on what remains a difficult pitch on which to force the issue for bowlers.

Day four recap

0620: CLOSE: Australia, 103-2, trail England by 61 runs
The rain has won. Extended day tomorrow beginning half-an-hour early for England to try and force something.

0541: Thunder and lightning now. Rain pelting on to the covers. Puddles in the outfield. No more cricket today, is my bold prediction. Ninety-eight overs tomorrow for England to try and force a result.

0537: Raining hard again. Given the state the outfield is already in, we could well be done for the day.

0534: Drizzle returns to scupper the planned inspection and, in truth, spare the groundsmen the embarrassment of having to explain how and why they'd left a swimming pool at cover-point.

0517: It's stopped raining and the covers are being pulled back. There's talk of an inspection at 0530 with a view to starting 15 minutes later. Judging by the amount of standing water left on the square after the covers were removed that's... optimistic.

0500: TEA: Australia, 103-2, trail England by 61 runs
All very disappointing. Warner, Smith and the rain have probably combined to scupper the hopes of a consolation win for England here. This isn't the sort of pitch where you're likely to run through a side, and the tourists don't have much room for manoeuvre now if they are to bowl Australia out and knock off what's needed in the time remaining. Still far from certain we'll even get back out there at all today, and the draw price continues to fall; it's now 1/4 with Australia's whitewash hopes up in smoke at 25/1 to make it 4-0 with one to play.

0453: Still raining. Tea now at 0500 GMT.

0425: Heavy rain now. The draw all the way in to 2/5 as a result.

0403: Rain Stopped Play. And we're off again. Similar to the previous belt of rain, that started light, got heavier and then disappeared in an instant.

0402: Glorious off-drive from Smith beats mid-off's left hand and runs away for four. There's rain in the air again, and Root is unhappy with the moisture getting on the ball and scuppering England's reverse swing.

0352: Slice of luck for Warner who is done by the lack of pace in the pitch and early on an attempt to work the ball through square-leg. Gets a leading edge that loops agonisingly over the back-pedaling and leaping Anderson to bring the batsman three lucky runs.

0348: Warner jumps out of bunker to pull Curran over square-leg for four. Nails it, but it's a shot that has got him in trouble against England both in this series and previously.

0344: Another maiden from Woakes, almost getting through Warner with a reversing in-ducker zeroing in on the base of off stump before the left-hander manages to jamb the bat down on it at the last moment.

0340: No runs in the 2.4 overs since the resumption. Australia out to 12/1 now, but it's the draw that's on the move at 5/6.

0330: And we're back.

0324: Play to restart at 0330 GMT, no overs lost.

0322: And is quickly as it came, the rain is gone. Big cover being peeled off now.

0315: Rain getting heavier, as the radar suggested it might.

0300: Rain Stopped Play. The rain's got a bit heavier and the umpires call on the groundstaff as the players trudge off the field. It's not exactly a downpour, but it's pretty steady for now and the radar doesn't look great. England kept things very tight since lunch, just 16 runs in 11.2 overs, but no real alarms for Warner and Smith.

0249: It's got gloomy at the 'G, with a the floodlights shining brightly and a bit of mizzle in the air. England won't want this ball to get wet and nullify the reverse-swing they've been able to find.

0245: Curran getting good shape through the air here. Warner carefully plays out a maiden, Curran ending it with his back-of-the-hand slower ball. Good stuff from the debutant.

0241: Smith gets three for a punch off the back foot through point. Good shot, but it's also the one that brought his first-innings downfall.

0236: Just a single from Curran's comeback over. Twelve runs in the last 10 overs.

0232: England have dried Warner up completely here. He's 29 off 98 - he had 83 off 94 at lunch in the first innings - and he's scored just five singles since Bancroft's dismissal.

0218: Gorgeous shot straight back down the ground off Broad brings the first four runs of the afternoon for Smith.

0213: Players back out for the afternoon session.

0133: LUNCH: Australia, 70-2, trail England by 94 runs
Two wickets for England offsetting the disappointment of failing to add to their overnight 491-9, Anderson out to the very first ball of the day from Cummins. England even-money favourites for the win, but watch that price climb if this pair of champion batsmen get going after the sarnies. For England, the key will be reverse-swing. They've already got this ball tailing a fraction, and are quite obviously and deliberately throwing it into the turf with every return to the keeper. The Aussies, bless them, are busily trying to concoct a ball-tampering row out of nothing because if Australia are behind in a game there is literally no chance it's just because the other team is playing better.

0132: Collector's item here just before lunch: a play and miss from Smith, driving without due care and attention against Broad.

0119: Smith, a 15/8 Price Boost to top-score in this innings, plays out the last five balls of a wicket-maiden for Anderson.

0118: England go odds-on at the fall of that wicket, now 8/11 for victory. The Aussies are 6/1 with the draw on the drift at 7/4. Obviously a key partnership now with Warner and Smith at the crease.

0115: WICKET! Classic Anderson, shaping one away from the left-handed Khawaja from around the wicket and collecting an outside edge. Jonny Bairstow does the rest.

0114: Broad beats Khawaja, but the left-hander follows up with a single to take the deficit down to two figures.

0105: Moeen's struggles continue as Khawaja takes him downtown for six and then creams him through the covers for four more. Those are his first scoring shots, which is bold.

0051: WICKET! Another drag-on from Australia! The ball after bringing up Australia's 50 with a beautiful clip off his pads Bancroft inside-edges into his stumps to give Woakes the breakthrough.

0037: Shot of the morning from Bancroft to take us to drinks, pinging a drive straight back through the bowler. Expensive over, with Warner also driving to the fence through cover. The Aussie openers have already knocked off 44 of England's first-innings lead, with Bancroft looking far more secure than in his scratchy first innings.

0032: Comical mix-up between extra-cover and mid-off allows Warner to turn a tight single into an easy three as the two fielders converge on the ball and then leave it to each other. Broad and Stoneman I think the guilty men.

0011: England carelessly burn a review on a gambled caught-behind shout against Bancroft. Tom Curran the bowler wasn't particularly interested, but the cordon were. Nothing on Hot Spot or Snicko, and England's problems detecting edges in this match continue.

0001: First boundary for Warner off a thick and controlled edge from Warner between second slip and gully.

2357: Bancroft gets himself into a tangle against a short ball from Broad, which seems to spark him into life. Pulls the next ball for four and follows that with a glorious straight drive back past the bowler.

2350: Quiet start to the innings, save for Broad's first ball which snaked past Bancroft's outside edge.

2341: Bancroft and Warner out to begin Australia's second innings. Anderson straight back in the action, with the ball this time.

2335: The draw is now favourite, which at this stage can only really be down to the weather forecast given England's lead and the time remaining. It's evens to end in stalemate, with England 11/10 for the win. Australia now 8/1 to keep their whitewash hopes alive; that's going to take something very Adelaide 2006 now.

2331: WICKET! Anderson caught at bat-pad from the first ball of the morning, but that in itself means another record for Alastair Cook: his 244 not out is now the highest ever score by a Test batsman carrying their bat.

2330: Players are out for the first session of the morning.

2311: They don't waste time at the MCG. The display for the best bowling figures and scores in Tests by home and away players already being updated after Cook went past Viv Richards yesterday. Just waiting on the confirmed final number before the new banner is in place...

2300: So England take a 164-run lead into the fourth day's play at the MCG thanks mainly to Alastair Cook's phenomenal 244 not out. James Anderson is the man charged with helping extend that advantage as far as possible this morning before England set about the main business of the day: Australian wickets.

It does look a bowling day, plenty of cloud around and possibly some showers later, but then the same was true yesterday and we all know how that turned out.

Day three recap

0702: CLOSE: England, 491-9, lead Australia by 164 runs
What a day. Really can't wait to see how England lose this game from here. Cook has made absolute mincemeat of Australia and his detractors and now has the two highest individual Test scores of 2017 despite being past it. He's made the highest ever Test score by a visiting batsman at the MCG and, if Anderson is out tomorrow, will have made the highest ever score for a Test batsman carrying his bat. The upshot is that England lead by 164 - that lead was 47 at the fall of the ninth wicket - and have two days to turn that advantage into a victory.

0659: Four to Cook through mid-off, taking him past Lara on the all-time list. He's now taken out Jayawardene, Chanderpaul and Lara in this one innings.

0656: Anderson survives an over from Bird, who has been getting absolute pelters from the Barmy Army throughout the session. One more over tonight. Marsh to bowl it with Paine up to the stumps.

0651: Four more for Cook, uppercutting Mitchell Marsh to the third-man boundary.

0647: Anderson plays out a maiden over from Lyon.

0643: Cook turning down singles now. After four rejected singles he back-cuts for four after the field comes in. And then does it again just for a laugh. It's his highest Ashes score, and it's taken the lead past 150.

0635: WICKET! Broad's fun ends in hugely controversial circumstances. Khawaja claims what appears at first glance to be a stunning catch at third man. They go upstairs and, crucially, the soft signal from umpires who are 80 yards away and literally guessing is out. Replays show the ball popping out of Khawaja's hand, but there's no replay that satisfies the third umpire that the bell has hit the floor, even though logic and the laws of physics tell you it obviously must have. The soft signal - or soft guess as it should be called here - means Broad has to go.

0628: Fifty for Broad! Swipes Cummins through square-leg for four, and repeats the shot next ball with the same result to bring up the hundred partnership.

0625: Three more to Cook for a delightful late cut off the spinner. He's suddenly only 15 runs away from going past Lara on the all-time list. Gee, he's taken out some names on there in this innings. Already taken care of Jayawardene and Chanderpaul in the last 24 hours.

0617: Six more runs from Lyon's over as Cook and Broad continue to enjoy themselves enormously.

0612: The 450 is up for England. Silliness.

0608: Glorious shot from Broad, rocking on to his back foot and punching Lyon through point for four. The partnership is now worth 75 from 81 balls.

0605: Four more for Broad, backing away and taking the ball from almost outside leg and somehow getting it over cover's head. The lead is 116.

0603: Another record. Cook's 213* is the highest score by any overseas batsman in an MCG Test.

0601: Shot! Broad smokes Lyon over long-on for six. This is very, very silly. England are now 5/4 - by my reckoning as short as they've been at any point in any test in this series. Australia all the way out at 9/2 now.

0559: Incredibly, the lead is now over 100 as Cook leans into a cover-drive off Lyon and gets three.

0557: The lead up to 98 as Broad hooks to long-leg and scampers through for two.

0555: Four more! Broad just flays Bird through the offside. The hundred is up for Starc's replacement. Also the 50 partnership.

0554: This is pain for Australia now. The runs are coming quickly, the lead is up to 92 as Cook collects two through square-leg and another easy run to cover. It's all just a tiny bit easier for the tailenders with no Starc aiming 90mph missiles at their heads and toes.

0547: COOK REACHES 200! What a stunning innings this has been, and he reached his double in fitting style with yet another thumping drive straight down the ground. Probably the best of the many shots like that he's played today. He goes to 202, meaning he now also has the highest score by an England player on this ground, knocking Wally Hammond off that particular perch.

0541: I said earlier that England needed an 80-run lead to make this an even game when batting last. They've pretty much got it now, with 79 the advantage as the players take drinks. Cook three away from a double-hundred.

0538: Good thinking from Cook. Mid-on is up for Lyon, so Cook runs down the track and clobbers it over him for four. It's not perfectly timed but it's the right tactic. The man drops back, Cook takes the single.

0537: This partnership beginning to become an irritant for Australia. It's now worth 26 as Broad smears one through backward-point for four. It's not very elegant, but it's very effective.

0533: Broad stuck on strike at the start of Hazlewood's over, but the short ball is so obvious now. Backs away and smacks it into the legside for a single.

0528: Broad manages to fend one into a gap - he was literally behind the stumps by the time he played it - and scamper a single. The field comes in, and Cook creams a cover-drive to the fence to move to 190. These are important runs: the lead climbs to 65.

0525: Cook still happy to take the easy single on offer and expose Broad to potentially five balls of Hazlewood. Broad top-edges the first of them over the keeper's head for four, which is handy.

0524: At some point, Australia's bowler might want to consider bowling one at Broad's stumps.

0521: Remarkable yet entirely accidental shot from Broad brings him four. I think he's pretty much tried to get his bat out of the way of this short ball from Cummins, but he's ended up somehow steering it perfectly up and over the slips for four.

0518: Four singles from Hazlewood's over - there's a run every ball for Cook if he wants it, and on this evidence he does - take England's lead past 50.

0514: Australia now 6/4 favourites again.

0511: Here's a stat for you. Cook has played in every single one of Broad's 113 Test matches. This is only the second time they've ever batted together.

0508: Oof. Huge appeal for caught behind down the legside against Broad, but it's missed everything apart from perhaps jumper. Next ball, the last of Hazlewood's over is a brute of a short ball that thumps into Broad's shoulder.

0504: WICKET! Curran feathers one through to Paine off Hazlewood. Finest of edges, and umpire Kumar Dharmasena didn't spot it. Australia's review was instant, and Hot Spot sends Curran on his way. England eight down, ahead by 46.

0451: Two more short balls for Curran in Cummins' next over. Ducks them both. Follows it up with the full ball, and Curran edges it wide of the solitary slip for his first four runs in Test cricket. Safe enough edge - straight to ground and only one man there to catch it anyway.

0443: Cummins greets debutant Tom Curran to the crease with the most obvious bouncer of all time. Curran ducks underneath it easily enough.

0441: WICKET! Cummins strikes early in the session as Woakes gloves a bumper to send a simple catch looping through to Paine.

0436: Cook begins the evening with a couple of identical clips off his pads for two runs each. Adds a single squirted into the offside.

0433: And we're under way for the final session of the day. If England are still batting at the end of it, then they are in full control of this Test match.

0413: TEA: England, 360-6, lead Australia by 33 runs
Two wickets in the session, but 96 runs to turn a 63-run deficit into a 33-run lead. England probably shading that one despite - or maybe because of - one of the strangest Test innings ever produced by a proper batsman. Moeen's 14-ball 20 will live long in the memory but was, in truth, all a bit sad. He surely can't play in Sydney. Cook, meanwhile, just marches relentlessly on. He's 27 away from a fifth Test double-century and is 10/11 to get there. That's a price slightly inflated by the still very real threat that the last four wickets fall before he can make it. England, meanwhile, are 11/8 favourites with Australia drifting right out to 3/1. That still looks big to me, but it might just be because I am permanently scarred by what's happened in the last three Tests and every Australia tour I can remember bar 2010/11. England are evens to reach 450, which really would put them in a good position. Looks a long way off, mind.

0413: Hard-earned and, let's be honest, slightly fortunate 50 partnership between Cook and Woakes at a time when England were threatening to muck things up a little bit.

0406: Another edge, another four for Woakes. Only one slip and a gully for Bird - who has in fairness deserved little more - and a big drive flies off a thick edge into the cavernous gap. The lead climbs to 28, and is now officially "useful".

0404: Lucky for Woakes, but he gets four. Genuine edge flies at catchable height directly between Paine and first slip Smith. Each man leaves it for the other and the ball bounces away for four as Hazlewood howls in frustration. Was probably slightly closer to Smith, and carried to first slip, but you'd still expect a keeper to go for it.

0401: Takes something special to beat a batsman on 171, and Hazlewood produces it here, jagging one past a leaden-footed grope of a defensive shot from Cook. Cracking delivery, and one of the few times in this innings that Cook's footwork has been anything less than secure.

0359: Woakes jumps out of his bunker to collect four for a high-class cover-drive off Bird.

0353: England favourites again at 6/4. Australia out to 5/2 which still looks too big to me. England need a lead around 80 to offset batting last and make it an even game, for mine. The current lead is 13.

0350: It's been a struggle for Woakes, but he's still there battling alongside Cook on nine from 44 balls. It's a bit different to Moeen's 20 off 14, and probably more useful in the situation.

0334: Marsh continues to bowl to this astonishing slip-cordon-in-the-covers field for Cook. The left-hander smacks one through them for four. Paine now up to the stumps to make everything look weirder still. Cook goes through the cover-slips again, two runs this time.

0330: FIRST-INNINGS LEAD FOR ENGLAND! It's a Christmas miracle!

0329: Extraordinary field here for Cook as Marsh trundles in with his very English medium-pace fare. It's basically a three-man slip cordon, but in the covers. Cook still manages to thread the ball between them for a single. Woakes adds another to bring the scores level.

0316: Cook punches Lyon through cover off the back foot for two runs, and that takes him past Shiv Chanderpaul on the all-time Test runs list. Next stop, Lara.

0312: Drop! Smith shells Cook for the second time in the innings. This one's proper tough, though. Cook nails a pull shot and Smith, in close at square-leg, can't hold on with an instinctively thrust right hand just above the turf. Would have been an outrageous catch; looks quick even on replay.

0310: Let-off for Woakes, who gets in an awful tangle against a Cummins bumper. Somehow bunts it over short-leg but short of the man at catching midwicket. Decides to take on the short ball next time, and collects a single to long-leg. England trail by 10, and need another 100-odd from somewhere if they're not to toss away yesterday's hard-earned advantage.

0255: Cook gets to his 150! One of the few false shots he's played gets him to the landmark as he miscues a hook but sends it safely down to fine-leg for four. He now has more 150+ scores - 11 - than any other England batsman. Add it to his long, long list of records.

0248: WICKET! Not a shock. Moeen thwacks Lyon straight to cover, where Shaun Marsh takes a smart catch. Moeen playing like a man who knows he won't be playing the next game, to be honest. Embarrassing innings from a bloke with five Test hundreds.

0245: Moeen is here for a good time, not a long time. Caribbean-style leg-in-the-air pull shot is in the air but splits the two fielders to bring four more. A miscued attempt at a repeat dribbles to long-leg for a single. He's 20 off 13 and hasn't got a single shot quite right yet.

0241: Moeen's decided to just have a dip at Lyon rather than prod about and get out to him in the end anyway. Skies a big hit down the ground and clears long-off and the rope by an inch to collect six runs, and slaps the next ball in the air but wide of short cover for four more. Chips the last ball of the over over that same fielder for two more to bring up England's 300.

0237: Hazlewood goes for the short ball again. Moeen far more committed this time, and pulls it in front of square for three. England's deficit down to 40.

0236: Short ball surprises Moeen who half-tries to pull it and half tries to get out of the way. Ends up heading it past Paine for four leg-byes.

0234: Australia now favourites again: They're 13/8, with England and the draw both 15/8.

0231: WICKET! Bairstow gone! Attempts to cut Lyon but can only feather it into the gloves of Tim Paine. Lyon does the business for Australia again. England now in real danger of failing to capitalise on all yesterday's good work. They still trail by 48, and - based on the series to date - Australia are now into the tail.

0230: Cook into the 140s as he rocks back to cut Lyon well in front of square. Gets back for a third easily enough as Khawaja gives chase.

0222: Bairstow looking in good nick after that Perth century. Flicks one wide of Paine's despairing dive for four as Bird gets his line all wrong.

0221: That bizarre Malan lbw did hit him outside the line, by the way. Bad decision from the umpire, bad decision from the batsman.

0214: Cook punches another ball back past the bowler for four. Can't recall ever seeing him score as many runs between bowler and mid-on as he has in this innings. His game really does look in wonderful order again. Amazing how quickly it can change.

0210: And we're back.

0132: LUNCH: England, 264-4, trail by 63 runs
Fairly even session. Australia kept a good grip on the scoring rate until Bairstow came to the crease at least, while both dismissals were a bit odd. Root fell into a trap so obvious it had "THIS IS A TRAP" written on it in flashing letters, while Malan became the second England player not to feel an inside edge on an lbw decision.

The odds suggest it's Australia's session - just. They're 15/8 from 9/4, England 7/4 from 13/8.

0128: Bairstow living dangerously, but he's upped the scoring rate. Edges Bird through the gap between second slip and gully for four more to move to 16 at a run a ball.

0119: Bairstow no longer using a blank bat, which is a great sadness, but he's using his run-of-the-mill sponsored one quite nicely in the early stages here. Couple of nice Spartan-endorsed cover-drives bring him a scampered three and then a no-running-required four.

0109: WICKET! Another lbw, another England batsman unaware he's nicked it. Thing is, Malan has absolutely smashed this one into his pads. Incredible that he doesn't realise he's hit it, but that obviously must be the case. To be honest, he probably should have reviewed anyway. Would've been umpire's call at worst on impact I think, so a free review even if he didn't hit it.

0108: Hazlewood takes the new ball straight away.

0107: New ball available for Australia.

0101: Warner currently captaining the side with Smith off the field due to his stomach unpleasantness. Spent most of last night praying to the porcelain god by all accounts.

0054: Bang. Cook drives Marsh through mid-on in glorious style. I'm going to say that's the most attractive shot Cook has played in his entire career.

0041: Back-to-back boundaries for Malan off Cummins. Neither convincing. Both edged wide of the slips, the first an attempted drive and the second a slightly more controlled back-foot defence. Twelve of his 13 runs to date off the outside edge to third-man. Those eight runs take England's deficit down to double digits.

0029: Malan off the mark with a perfectly placed outside edge between keeper and first slip.

0021: WICKET! Not a lovely shot from Root. Goes after the short ball from Cummins and top-edges it to deep square-leg where Lyon takes the catch.

0019: Lovely shot from Root, steering a wide one from Cummins down to the boundary at third-man. Gorgeous. Reminiscent of Ian Bell in his 2013 pomp.

0012: Cummins gets through his first over of the day. Seems in rather better health than yesterday.

0007: Better over for England, Root getting three on the drive and Cook latching on to one of his favourite things: something short, wide and 81mph. Cracks it behind point as he has countless times over the last 12 years. A careful prod through cover brings Cook two more.

2356: Australia taking a leaf out of England's book this morning. Keeping it tight and working from there. Only eight runs in the first six overs of the day.

2346: Edged but safe from Cook, and it'll bring him three runs that take England to 200.

2342: Bird getting the old ball to tail in to the right-hander. Was crucial to England's comeback with the ball in Australia's innings.

2333: Root raises his bat after scoring one run this morning. Funny old game. Completes his 50 from the final ball of the opening over.

2332: Cook gets a single after Bancroft can only parry a back-foot punch at point.

2330: The players are out in the middle, not all of them feeling chipper. Jackson Bird to kick proceedings off for the Aussies.

2325: There is some good news for Australia. It's overcast and steamy. Looks like a bowling day. Could even be some thunderstorms later. If England are on top, I'm sure the groundstaff will be just as lively with the leaf-blowers as they were in Perth...

2320: Looks like Steve Smith ate the same Christmas dinner leftovers as Cummins...

2310: England are a 3/1 Price Boost to reach 500 in this innings, while it's 9/2 for Cook and Root to still be together at lunch. That would be just tremendous. England and the draw are tussling for favouritism at 13/8 apiece, with the Aussies out to 9/4. Feels like Australia should always be backed at 9/4, but this attack is not the one England had to deal with in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

2300: Yesterday was good, wasn't it? Is it too much to ask for long-suffering England fans to expect the skipper and former skipper to carry on that good work? No, no it is not. England need to get a good lead here but the brutal truth is that it's as likely to end in first-innings parity. But really there's no excuse for England not to forge ahead here. Two greats at the crease, Australia minus their figurehead while we also have to wait and see how Pat Cummins is feeling this morning after yesterday's tummy bother.

Day two recap

0701: CLOSE: England, 192-2, trail by 135 runs
Well that's a lovely end to a quite brilliant day for England. Seven wickets for 67 was tremendous, but to build on it with the bat has been enormously pleasing. Broad, Cook and Root silencing some doubters is so significant. Not for this series, that's gone, but for the future. That's the Broad and Cook retirement talk firmly put to bed. In this Test, meanwhile, England are now 13/8 favourites. Absolute scenes. Australia and the draw now both 15/8 shots.

0659: Cook 100! Brilliant innings from the England opener as he smacks another friendly delivery from Smith through the legside for four to reach 103. Stunning return to form, and he now has Test hundreds at all five Australian grounds. Not bad.

0657: Cook latches on to a friendly full toss and punches it through midwicket for four, and then collects two more on the legside to get to 99. Field coming in...

0656: Steve Smith to bowl what might be the final over of the day. Possibly one more to come after it.

0651: Hundred partnership between England's two champion batsmen as Cook tips-and-runs a quick single to cover point.

0648: Root to 49 and the partnership to 99 with a hard sweep behind square off Lyon. Four overs left in the day. It feels weird even to type this, but it's been all England.

0646: Cook into the 90s with another drive straight back past the bowler. This really has been vintage Cook. It's 2010 Cook.

0635: Slice of luck for Root as he bottom-edges an attempted sweep through his own legs and collects four. Guess we have to call that the Rootmeg, against our better judgement.

0631: Having already lost Starc before the match, having only a half-fit Cummins has been a cruel and costly blow for Australia here. Still visibly struggling (still sending them down at 85mph, mind) and Cook picks him off like a vulture picking at a carcass. Two clips to leg bring a pair of runs each before a jabbed cover-drive brings three more. Cook 15 away from a century...

0622: Cook plays a coruscating cut shot off Hazlewood for four, and suddenly all is right with the world.

0603: Edgy four for Root, right off the bottom corner of the bat and bouncing short of a diving Smith who gets a fingertip to the ball but can't prevent the boundary. Probably a bit sore as well.

0553: Fifty partnership between England's two senior batsmen as Cook rocks back to crunch a cut shot off Lyon in front of square to defeat the sweeper and collect four more.

0543: That's drinks. Another 20 overs left in the day, and if these two survive them then this has probably been England's best day of the whole series.

0529: Root into his stride now after a tough start. Steers Bird to the third-man fence and then picks up three for a clip off his toes through midwicket.

0523: Drop! Cook back-cuts Mitch Marsh for four but then gets a huge slice of luck as a regulation edge to first slip is shelled not once but twice by Steve Smith. Paine had just moved up to the stumps the ball before. How much that a) helped induce the edge and/or b) unsighted Smith is one to ponder.

0518: Cummins is off the field again. Not a well man.

0513: Stunning shot again from Cook, driving Mitchell Marsh straight back down the ground for four, his ninth of the innings.

0511: Joe Root's had to work very hard for his runs here, but gets four for a delicate late cut played between slip and gully off a bewildered Hazlewood.

0504: Fifty for Cook, brought up in style with a clip through midwicket for four. He's had a horror series, but this hasn't been a battling-back-to-form innings of the kind we've seen Cook produce before. It's been fluent and high quality. I guess what we've learned today is that blokes with 11000 Test runs or nearly 400 Test wickets do have some idea what they're doing.

0447: It's a really interesting one. It's one of cricket's accepted truths that batsmen always know when they've nicked it. Modern technology shows this is not the case. Vince not the first batsman to get an edge he hasn't felt.

0440: WICKET! James Vince trapped lbw by Josh Hazlewood's first ball after tea. It's full enough and straight enough, and he's given out. Decides not to review, but Hot Spot shows he got a thin edge on it. Would've been overturned. Can only assume he hasn't felt it.

0436: Even better from Cook to make it two fours in the over. Punched through cover off the back foot now. Cummins looks unhappy, albeit it's hard to tell from here whether he's unhappy about the shot or the state of his guts.

0434: Shot from Cook. Rocking back and pulling with real authority through midwicket as Cummins, clearly still some way short of 100 per cent, drags down a gentle 80mph long-hop. Cook to 41 not out, his best score of the series.

0432: Back for the evening session. It will be Cummins to start. Let's hope he's feeling a bit better...

0413: TEA: England, 72-1, trail by 255 runs
Two good sessions for England today then. Broad and Anderson knocked over the last two wickets in quick time, and Cook has looked far better than at any other time in the series. Australia now out to evens for victory here, while England are in to 7/4 from massive prices when Australia careered to 102-0 before lunch yesterday.

0408: One more over before tea. Cummins counting down the minutes until he can curl up in the rooms for 20 minutes. He's going through it at the moment.

0352: Another glorious driven boundary for Vince, in accordance with the prophecy. Cummins is back on the field, by the way, but does not look well. Presumably taken some tablets and is out there so he can bowl as soon as he's feeling better about life. Going through it at the moment, though, poor bloke.

0349: Cook looking more like his old self here. Four more for a square-cut slapped behind point.

0348: Cummins has a dicky tummy.

0342: Glorious shot from Cook here. His best of the series. A back-foot drive straight back past the bowler for four. Not even Warner can catch it.

0336: Pat Cummins bowls a fairly lacklustre over and walks straight off the field. Australia in bother if this is serious, already without Starc.

0328: WICKET! Stoneman chips one back at Lyon, who takes it one-handed above his head. Decent catch, made to look even better for the cameras, but a soft dismissal for Stoneman.

0325: Lovely shot from Cook, leaning on a Cummins half-volley and pinging it through cover for four.

0312: Early bowl for Lyon with Hazlewood and Bird not looking that threatening.

0310: The pull shot may carry risk, but it can also bring reward. Genuine bouncer attempt from Hazlewood doesn't get high enough, and Cook nails it through square-leg.

0255: Textbook cover-drive brings Stoneman four more.

0253: Stoneman unfazed by that, and promptly helps himself to three for a controlled drive through cover-point. Cook then gets the first boundary of the innings with a sweet piece of timing through square-leg. Just a flick off his pads, and it wasn't far away from long-leg but the fielder had no price.

0251: Odd moment here as Stoneman pulls out at the very last minute. Hazlewood into the delivery stride and has no option but to bowl the ball, luckily not on target. Looking at the replays, a butterfly fluttered across Stoneman's eyeline at the worst possible moment.

0245: Bird gets the new ball, and almost gets Cook. Cross-bat shots full of risk as we've seen three times today already, and Cook nearly joins the drag-on gang with a bottom-edged pull.

0239: Alastair Cook and Mark Stoneman out in the middle to start England's reply. A good start key, you'd think.

0227: WICKET! Brilliant effort this from England. Anderson reverses a full delivery into Lyon's pads. He reviews because he can, but he's already walking off as he does so. Australia lose their last seven wickets for 67, which is rather English of them.

0212: WICKET! Four for Broad as Cummins aims an optimistic early drive and gets a chunky edge through to Alastair Cook at slip. Smart low catch confirmed as clean by the third umpire.

0210: Back we come for the afternoon session. Broad with the ball.

0132: LUNCH: Australia 326-8 (115 overs)
Five wickets for 82 runs in a cracking session for England's bowlers. All four seamers among the wickets, with Moeen Ali's continued struggles the only downside. The pitch has been a bit slow and kept a bit low, which has kept batsmen honest. Smith, Mitch Marsh and Paine all dragged on, while Shaun Marsh and Jackson Bird were trapped lbw by a celebrappealing Stuart Broad. England now just 4/1 after hitting 12/1 yesterday and starting today at double-figure quotes. Australia still odds-on at 4/6, but victory not as assured as it looked for most of yesterday.

0126: WICKET! Broad has a third, trapping Jackson Bird lbw, and England have had a superb morning.

0120: Jackson Bird off the mark with an edge between keeper and first slip for four.

0116: WICKET! Anderson bowls Paine. It's a third drag-on of the morning. Anderson now goes past Courtney Walsh to 520 Test wickets. Glenn McGrath now the only seam bowler ahead of him.

0115: Broad has the bit between his teeth now. Excellent maiden over to Pat Cummins, including one delivery that somehow misses both outside edge and off stump by millimetres.

0103: WICKET! Broad could have had Marsh lbw first ball, and does so on review 147 balls later. Can only think Umpire Ravi thought there was an inside edge here, because otherwise it was plumb. UltraEdge and Snicko show it's beaten the bat and hit the pad in front of middle-and-off. Ball-tracking does the rest, and Broad has his second wicket.

0053: A boundary apiece for Paine and Marsh in this Moeen over. He's still going for nearly five an over. Just not doing any kind of job for his captain. Tim Paine, meanwhile, has raced to 20 not out in no time.

0045: Moeen still struggling in this spell. Whether it's confidence, or his side injury, or his finger. Whatever it is, it's pretty clear that if England had any kind of like-for-like replacement in the squad then Moeen would not be playing here. But with no Stokes, they can't play Mason Crane in place of Ali without crippling the batting order. Not for the first time, England are paying the price for their refusal to pick Samit Patel.

0037: Fifty for Shaun Marsh. Typically hard-working innings, cashing in on his slice of good fortune from the very first ball he faced.

0027: After all the talk about England needing "genuine pace" to succeed in Australia, both wickets today have come from a lack of it. Great plot twist, and further proof that Test cricket is better than other things.

0021: WICKET! A second drag-on of the morning as Mitchell Marsh chops a short, wide ball from Woakes into his stumps. Again, the pace of the pitch - or lack of it - the key.

0014: Curran straying into Shaun Marsh's pads too often here. Gets picked off for two through square-leg and four to fine-leg.

0007: Now the moment we've all been waiting for. The Marshnership. Mitchell joins Shaun in the middle.

0002: WICKET! And Curran's second ball of the day lands the big wicket. Could have had Warner as his first Test wicket, instead gets Smith! The slow pitch does for the world's best batsman, who drags one into his stumps from well outside off. Curran starts celebrating and then turns to see if the umpire's checking the no-ball, like a striker looking across to the linesman. He's safe this time, and Smith has to go.

0001: Hundred partnership comes up with a single for Marsh off Tom Curran's first ball of the day.

2355: Quiet, watchful start from both batsmen against Broad and Anderson until Smith bursts into life by whipping one from off stump through square-leg off Anderson. It ought to be a shot fraught with risk, and for mortals it would be. Two balls later an easier boundary as Anderson drags one down - a rarity from him in this series - and gets pulled to the midwicket fence. Smith eases past 500 runs for the series.

2332: As at the start of his innings yesterday, Marsh survives a confident lbw shout from Broad. Much less going for this one, which looks both a touch high and a bit legside.

2330: The players are out in the middle. Stuart Broad with the ball in hand.

2300: Another day begins, as so many seem to do, with England's bowlers trying to find a way to stop Steve Smith. They could also do with nipping out a Marsh or two before too long, lest this game slip quickly and quietly away from them as the first three already have.

Smith has 65 overnight, and even with a Price Boost is only 9/2 to get 200 again. The 4/1 on offer for Smith and Shaun Marsh to still be batting at lunch is an eye-catcher. After Marsh somewhat luckily survived his first ball, the two of them looked pretty secure last night, and the pitch is only going to be flatter today.

Worth remembering, though, that England's bowlers do have a (nearly) new ball in their hands after taking it only for the last three-and-a-half overs yesterday.

Day one recap

0701: CLOSE: Australia 244-3 (89 overs)
Smith calmly gets through Anderson's final over of the day, and that's another day for the hosts despite England's admirable efforts in dragging things back after Warner got away from them in the morning session. England need wickets with the new ball tomorrow morning. England always seem to need wickets.

0658: Broad gets through his over quickly enough for Anderson to sneak another one in.

0654: Oof. Anderson probably only getting this one over with the new ball, but it's a pretty good one. Starts and ends with balls jagged past the bat, first Smith's and then Marsh's.

0646: England take the new ball at last, five overs after it became available. Might be three overs with it. We're going to lose an over or two at the end of this day anyway with only 14 minutes left until stumps

0625: New ball available for England, but for now it's Curran with the old one.

0611: Another half-century from Smith. He's looked utterly untroubled. He's converted 14 of 17 half-centuries into 100s in the first innings of a Test match, so pencil that one in for around lunchtime tomorrow.

0601: Malan now through five overs for just eight runs. Moeen's six overs today have cost 35.

0530: England forced to turn to Dawid Malan's part-time legspin on day one of the Test. Not a good look for Moeen Ali.

0458: Smith still looking absolutely serene, whipping Woakes through midwicket for four and collecting three more with a cover-drive. Woakes made the initial breakthrough, but has been the one seamer unable to execute the "bowling dry" gameplan.

0454: England are 9/2 from a high of 12/1 earlier in the day. Some fightback, this.

0448: England review an lbw shout against Shaun Marsh first ball. Looks close, but height's the issue. Clipping the bails so Marsh survives, but so too does England's review. Marsh pretty lucky there - ball hitting the bails in exactly the same spot as Bancroft's dismissal earlier. Broad suddenly has his tail up.

0446: WICKET! Broad's long wait for a wicket comes to an end. His first success since Adelaide comes as he finds just enough movement off the pitch from round the wicket to find Khawaja's outside edge. Broad sent down 414 deliveries between his 393rd and 394th Test wickets.

0445: Four more for Smith, punched behind point off the back foot. Just give him 150 now and call it quits. Save everyone's time and energy.

0440: Early boundaries for both batsmen in the evening session, a pull for Smith and a lovely cover-drive for Khawaja, who looks more purposeful in these early stages of the final session after being very scratchy in the afternoon.

0434: And we're back for the final session of the day. England need another good one.

0413: TEA: Australia 145-2 (54 overs)
That's an excellent session for England. They managed to but an end to Bancroft's misery and then came up with a tactic that worked against Warner. Having made 83 not out from 94 balls before lunch, it took him 36 more to get the last 17 runs of his century - and not without drama along the way. England continued to dry him up outside the off stump and got their reward when he nibbled at one outside the off stump. Joe Root's side have just about kept themselves in the game.

0345: Anderson now has 100 Test wickets against Australia, and moves level with Courtney Walsh on the all-time list with 519 Test wickets.

0344: WICKET! Warner goes this time, feathering an edge through to Jonny Bairstow off Anderson. They check the no-ball again... and it's fine. Curran's overstepping cost only four runs, but what a significant four runs they were.

0341: England have dried up the runs, which may be because Warner and Khawaja can't see the ball through the tears of laughter.

0331: Curran actually in the middle of a very decent spell here. Unfortunately for him, that's not how it will be remembered.

0312: Incredible scenes! Warner is caught at mid-on for 99 to give Tom Curran his first Test wicket. Except he isn't and he doesn't, because it's a no-ball. The very next ball is worked to leg and now Warner does have his century and the potential to add a great deal more.

0308: Warner goes to 6000 Test runs but still remains a single short of 100 today.

0256: Warner cuts in the air but wide of a diving point and collects two more to move to 98. Warner cuts and drives before the over is done but can't get it through the infield. Been stuck in the 90s for a while now.

0254: England try to bring Anderson back into the attack, but he's got to wait another 92 seconds because of time he spent off the field. So it will be Broad to continue.

0249: Broad bowls a maiden over to Warner. The plan is not a subtle one, as Broad aims everything as wide of the off stump as he can get away with.

0241: WICKET! File that one under "much needed". Bancroft plays back to one from Woakes when he should have been forward and is pinned on the knee-roll. Looks absolutely plumb, and Bancroft doesn't even think about reviewing, but ball-tracking shows it was only hitting the bails.

0237: Warner always dangerous square of the wicket, but I can't recall seeing him drive down the ground better than he has today. Another wonderful shot driven straight back past Broad brings him four, and a shovel into the legside takes him to 96.

0217: Warner picks up where he left off. First ball he faces in the afternoon is pulled behind square for four. Not a great delivery first up from Broad, and Warner not in the mood to pass up any scoring opportunities.

0214: Bancroft managed only one four in the morning session. Already matched it in the first over of the afternoon thanks to a loose drive at Woakes and a thick edge wide of the two slips.

0211: Back for the afternoon session. Hard to know what England can do to try and turn things round here.

0132: LUNCH: Australia 102-0 (28 overs)
A session that was about one man. England have kept a lid on Warner throughout this series, but not this morning. On a flat pitch with the sun shining he's helped himself to 83 not out from 94 balls with barely a risk taken. A couple of uppish shots through point the only slight alarms. It's been tougher for Bancroft, especially against the short ball for some reason despite that being one of his strengths. He's battled through it, though, with Warner's fireworks taking all the pressure off him. England haven't even bowled badly. There's just nothing for their bowlers in this pitch. It will probably all look rather different after Australia declare late in the day tomorrow. England are already all the way out at 12/1 to win this game. Australia 4/9.

0132: Warner ends the session by depositing Ali over long-on for six. Hundred up for Australia, and Warner goes to lunch with 83 to his name.

0125: Two more boundaries in the over for Warner, pulling and then glancing Curran behind square on the legside.

0118: Odd shot from Warner, but it brings him four more. Plays back to a full ball from Anderson and sends a thick edge in the air but in the gap and down to third-man.

0113: Warner smears a cut shot in the air but wide of the diving point fielder to collect four more. Not quite going to get to a hundred before lunch, which he's done before, but he's not going to be that far off.

0105: Anderson back, and Warner crunches him down the ground for four, and then picks up three more through the covers. Even Wolverine was impressed on the Aussie coverage.

0059: Curran into the attack for the first time in Test cricket. Decent enough opening over, just four from it as Bancroft edges one safely over the slips.

0055: Warner smacks a short ball from Woakes through midwicket for four. Seven-two offside field, so easy runs on that side of the wicket for Warner, who eases to a 64-ball 50.

0051: Glorious shot again from Warner. Woakes goes full this time and Warner manipulates a drive wide of mid-off for four more.

0047: Australia cruise past 50 without loss on a pitch offering absolutely nothing for the bowlers.

0036: Woakes is bowling short and wide to Warner. It seems an odd tactic, but it must be a tactic because he's done it for two whole overs now.

0021: Bancroft looking oddly out of sorts here. He's got himself in a tangle against a few short balls and edged a full ball short of slip. His footwork doesn't look as precise as it has earlier in the series.

0015: Width offered by Anderson, and Warner accepts the invitation by thrashing it past cover for his third boundary.

0012: Warner snaps the run of maidens, but it's been a good spell for England after a flying start from the Aussie openers.

0007: Twenty-six runs from the first five overs, none from the following four. The one success for England in this series has been their ability to keep a lid on Australia's openers, and Warner in particular.

0003: Three maidens!

2359: Back-to-back maidens. Better from England's new-ball veterans.

2354: Broad bowls a maiden over to Warner. That might be as good as it gets for England today...

2350: Another effortless check-drive through mid-off from Warner. The signs for England could hardly be more ominous.

2345: First boundary for Warner, and it's glorious. Just a forward defence on a slow pitch and it races through mid-off for four.

2344: Based on the early evidence this is going to be a long, hard day for England. There's nothing in this pitch. It's even slower than Brisbane or Adelaide were on day one.

2333: Early slice of luck for David Warner, who throws his hands at one outside off stump and sends a thick outside edge in the air but just wide of gully for three runs.

2330: And we're under way.

2327: The national anthems, always a chore before play. Why do they always find the most ludicrous singers to warble their way through what are already very bad pieces of music? The top note at the end of Advance Australia Fair just now was honestly one of the worst noises ever made by a human.

2315: Australia trimmed to 8/13 from 4/6 after winning the toss. England out to 5/1 from 4/1. Steve Smith is an 11/4 Price Boost to top-score in Australia's first innings.

2301: Australia have won the toss and chosen to bat first on what looks like an absolute belter. Teams confirmed as expected, with only the two enforced changes across the two teams. How close England came to making further changes to their underperforming side we'll never know, but to be honest there are not a great many options available to Joe Root.

2255: Check out our betting preview here, where we controversially go for runs from Steve Smith, while there's also our 10/1 RequestABet.

2245 GMT: Merry Christmas. Here's hoping you've had a better one than the England team, who, for the third time in four trips down here have seen the Ashes surrendered before the turkey has been carved.

The toss is 15 minutes away here, with both teams set to make one enforced change. Tom Curran makes a Test debut for England, Bob Willis presenting him with his cap, while Jackson Bird comes in for Mitchell Starc who has a bruised heel.

The early news from Melbourne is that Moeen Ali has passed a fitness test that presumably consisted of something slightly more than "Is the back-up spinner still Mason Crane?" but only just.