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20th over: Australia 76-2 (Head 40, Khawaja 12) Head goes searching outside his off-stump as Jacks gets a ripper to drift and turn away from the left-hander. That was very nearly something out of nothing! Four singles from the over as both batters ease away anything directed towards their pads.
19th over: Australia 72-2 (Head 38, Khawaja 10) Head has been getting into his groove for a while and now controls a slice over slips to the deep third rope. Both batters look comfortable knocking Tongue away for singles as the runs flow for Australia even with a new batter at the crease.
Usman Khawaja eases in to his second innings. Photograph: Robbie Stephenson/PAShare
Updated at 22.27 EST
18th over: Australia 64-2 (Head 32, Khawaja 9) England persist with Will Jacks even with a new batter at the crease. The spinner continues to leak runs, just as he did in the first innings, and Khawaja doesn’t let a loose delivery down the leg-side go to waste as he sweeps to the boundary.
17th over: Australia 57-2 (Head 30, Khawaja 4) Josh Tongue gets the breakthrough after several close calls for Marnus Labuschagne to bring Usman Khawaja to the crease at the unfamiliar No 4 spot. The now 39-year-old seemed comfortable batting in the position during the first innings, and this time is allowed to get off the mark when punishing a wide delivery with a cut to the rope.
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Martin Pegan
Thanks Rob. We actually have a contest on our hands – which, I must admit, is far from what I was expecting this morning, and certainly would not have predicted this time yesterday. England have had their tails up even after being dismissed for 286 with Brydon Carse in particular finding a nice rhythm with the ball while Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne had to dig in after lunch. This is the sort of scenario that England have too often failed to make the most of throughout this series, but with Labuschagne on his way the momentum might just be about to swing once again.
I’ll be guiding us through to stumps. Send us your predictions, thought bubbles and other musings with an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X. Drinks are done, here we go …
Drinks With that, I’ll hand you over to Martin Pegan for the rest of the day’s play. Thanks for your company, see you soon.
ShareWICKET! Australia 53-2 (Labuschagne c Brook b Tongue 13)
Josh Tongue strikes with a ripper! Labuschagne was surprised by some extra bounce and fenced the ball to slip, where Brook got both hands under the ball to take a lovely catch.
The umpires checked the catch, a wise course of action in this game, but it was clear from the first replay that Brook took it cleanly. Australia lead by 138 and England are still fighting.
England celebrate Labuschagne’s dismissal. Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 22.16 EST
16th over: Australia 53-1 (Head 30, Labuschagne 13) Another mixed over from Jacks – but when he gets it right, he is a real threat. Head pushes nervously at a lovely offbreak and edges fractionally short of the diving Brook at slip. That was close.
Updated at 22.07 EST
15th over: Australia 50-1 (Head 29, Labuschagne 11) Head is beaten by a ball from Tongue that keeps a bit low. The follow-up bounces too much and is called wide on height; that brings up the Australia fifty.
“There’s a lot of (rather polite) chat on TMS about how close (or, indeed, not close) Jamie Smith is standing, particularly with reference to that edge from Labuschagne right after lunch,” writes Tom Hopkins. “They seem to be slightly dancing around the point that a better keeper would have turned that half volley into a regulation catch.
“This is 100% old-man-shout-at-cloud, but it strikes me that those intangibles that a really good keeper gives you (pressure on the batter from standing up, confidence spreading through the slip cordon…) don’t get captured in a stat so they get overlooked. Right here, right now, however they feel like kind of a big deal.”
Especially when Smith isn’t getting any runs himself. I still prefer a No 7 who can make Test hundreds at game-changing speed, but it’s a very difficult thing to evaluate because, as you say, you can’t quantify certain aspects of keeping – or of seizing the initiative from No 7. Australia seem to have found a pretty good solution.
Updated at 22.08 EST
14th over: Australia 47-1 (Head 27, Labuschagne 11) Will Jacks replaces Brydon Carse, who bowled a threatening spell of 6-1-19-1. His first ball turns extravagantly, if slowly, and is pushed for a single by Labuschagne. The next delivery is filthy, down the leg side and spinning through the legs of Jamie Smith. Brook saves four byes with a good bit of anticipation.
If Jacks was more accurate he’d be a serious proposition because he gets appreciable turn and bounce.
“The Kiwis have had a wee collapse,” writes Ruth Purdue. “It can even happen to proper batters!”
13th over: Australia 45-1 (Head 26, Labuschagne 10) There’s no real movement for Tongue though his pace is up around 90mph. Australia are busily stockpiling ones and twos, with Head biffing the occasional boundary, and their lead is now 130. You never quite know against England but Australia will be extremely confident of victory if they set anything over 300.
Marnus Labuschagne in action. Photograph: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/ReutersShare
Updated at 22.04 EST
12th over: Australia 41-1 (Head 23, Labuschagne 9) Carse is mixing things up to Head: round the wicket, then over, then back round. Head just watches the ball and hits it, in this case with a wristy clip to the midwicket boundary. He’s starting to look dangerous.
“Reading with morbid fascination in British Columbia (Vancouver Island),” writes David Marriott.
British Columbia? Don’t suppose you need a cat-sitter for, say, the next 30 years?
Updated at 21.55 EST
In case you missed it, this is well worth a read.
Updated at 21.47 EST
11th over: Australia 33-1 (Head 16, Labuschagne 9) Josh Tongue comes on for Jofra Archer, who strained unsuccessfully for rhythm in an opening spell of 5-1-10-0. Head slashes a back cut for four, with Jacks in the deep almost losing his balance as he tries to run round the boundary.
Head could take this game away from England very quickly, just as David Warner often did in the third innings when Australia had a lead. In fact, a few weeks ago Stuart Broad called Warner “the best third-innings batter I faced”, mainly because of his foot-on-the-throat batting in the 2013-14 Ashes.
Updated at 21.46 EST
10th over: Australia 26-1 (Head 10, Labuschagne 8) Labuschagne is almost turned round by a good delivery from Carse, who is bowling probably his best spell since the first innings at Perth. A cracking over ends with a menacing lifter that bursts past Labuschagne’s defensive poke. This is the Carse we saw in New Zealand a year ago. I was starting to think I’d imagined it.
9th over: Australia 25-1 (Head 9, Labuschagne 8) Head has a superb record on home ground: he averages 72 from eight Tests and has made hundreds in the last three games, including a mighty 140 against India a year ago.
Archer’s fifth over is okay, no more or less. He’s still bowling a bit too short. I’d be tempted to give him a break because he has no rhythm and is grimacing a bit as he walks back to his mark.
Travis Head looks mostly comfortable in Adelaide. Photograph: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/ReutersShare
Updated at 21.40 EST
8th over: Australia 24-1 (Head 8, Labuschagne 8) Stokes was annoyed with somebody, possibly Smith or Carse, for dithering when he asked for their opinion on whether to review. In the end it would have been better for England if they had run out of time.
Updated at 21.32 EST
Labuschagne is not out!
There was a murmur on Snicko but it looked like there was clear daylight between bat and ball so Labuschagne survives.
Updated at 21.31 EST
England review for caught behind agianst Labuschagne!
Stokes almost ran out of time but eventually made the signal with one second remaining. Labuschagne pushed at a length outswinger from Carse, then snapped his head round to follow the ball into the gloves of Jamie Smith. That’s often a tell-tale sign.
Ben Stokes signals to the umpire for a review. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 21.34 EST
7th over: Australia 23-1 (Head 7, Labuschagne 8) It can take Archer a little while to rev up, and at the moment his pace is around 84mph. Labuschagne and Head milk four runs without much difficulty.
6th over: Australia 19-1 (Head 6, Labuschagne 5) Brydon Carse comes this close to a wicket in the first over after lunch. Labuschagne thin-edges a beautiful delivery that reaches the keeper Smith almost on the half-volley. He signals that it may have bounced short; the umpires go upstairs and the first replay confirms as much.
A good over from Carse, bowling a much fuller length than he has for most of this series.
Ben Stokes leads England onto the field, followed by the Australian batters Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne. Let’s crack on.
England walk out to field for the second session. Photograph: Robbie Stephenson/PAShare
Updated at 21.21 EST
“I was in the middle of emailing you about Weatherald before he got out,” writes Chris Paraskevas. “I think he brings something a little different to an opening pairing: he’s compact, reasonably well organised (especially on the offside) and has a punchy, no-frills style of attack.
“He reminds me of Chris Rogers in his temperament, the way he builds an innings, and I think they should persist with him for the rest of the series: he might be well suited to English conditions if he can refine his ability to play the ball late.
“Perhaps he’s missing a bit of aggro and dog in his batting. There’s the foundations of a solid Test player in there…”
I like his tempo as well, though I guess that’s less important when he bats with Travis Head. At the very least I’d give him this series.
Lunchtime reading
ShareLunch: Australia lead by 102 runs
5th over: Australia 16-1 (Head 5, Labuschagne 4) Head and Labuschagne see off Archer’s third over to take Australia to lunch only one down. They are still in contrrol, leading by 102, but the batting of Ben Stokes (83) and Archer (51) has given England hope of another crazy fourth-innings chase.
Despite a final stand from Stokes and Archer Australia go into lunch with a good lead. Photograph: Sarah Reed/CA/Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 20.37 EST
4th over: Australia 16-1 (Head 4, Labuschagne 4) Labuschagne gets off the mark with a fine delivery, flicking an overpitched delivery from Carse to the midwicket boundary.
There will be time for one more over before lunch.
3rd over: Australia 9-1 (Head 1, Labuschagne 0) Australia won’t want to lose another wicket before lunch. The third innings can do funny things to a batting line-up, especially when they are or were in control of the game.
A maiden from Archer to Labuschagne. His line was much better but the length was far too short.
Marnus Labuschagne bats. Photograph: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/Reuters
“Such a rookie error from Weatherald,” says Andy Roberts. “Has he not seen Carse bowl this series? The guy puts the ball all over the place; there was always every chance it would have pitched outside leg. Frustrated on his behalf that he wasn’t confident enough to review it.”
Quite, and it’ll add to the growing* pressure on him, especially if Khawaja gets runs in this innings.
* Unfairly IMO
Updated at 20.34 EST
2nd over: Australia 9-1 (Head 1, Labuschagne 0) Weatherald did discuss a review with his opening partner Travis Head before walking off. It’s done now. England plead for another LBW when Labuschagne plays across a very full delivery from Carse. That time it was missing leg stump.
ShareWICKET! Australia 8-1 (Weatherald LBW b Carse 1)
Brydon Carse strikes third ball! Jake Weatherald, falling over to the off side, plays around a sharp nipbacker and is given out LBW. It’s a lovely delivery – but replays show it pitched just outside leg stump and would have been overturned on review. Well well.
England successfully appeal for the wicket of Jake Weatherald. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 20.22 EST
1st over: Australia 8-0 (Head 1, Weatherald 1) Jofra Archer’s first over isn’t the best. It includes two no-balls, four byes down the leg side and a single apiece for the Australian openers.
“Time to strap in for something special?” says Brian Withington. “Talking of Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle, I would just love it, really love it…”
Some scenes from around the ground in Adelaide.
Australia supporters in the crowd on day three. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAPStokes and Archer gave the Barmy Army a few things to cheer for at the end of the first innings. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAPFans will be grateful for a cooler day at Adelaide Oval today after yesterday’s scorcher. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAPShare
Updated at 20.09 EST
The players are back on the field. There should be time for five overs before lunch; I think Josh Tongue is going to take the new ball with Jofra Archer.
“Heart says we’ve given ourselves a chance of a miracle,” writes Max Williams. “We were further behind at Headingley in 2019. Head says a 100+ ninth-wicket partnership proves this is still a lovely batting surface and we’ll be chasing 400 at a minimum. Head also says Head (Travis) will shortly rip out the heart with an 80 ball century.
“I’m going with the head. I’ve learned the hard way.”
It feels like England need to batting tonight to have any chance.
Australia lead by 85 runs on first innings. Unless they are bowled out for 129 in 73 overs second time round, that advantage should be decisive.
ShareWICKET! England 286 all out (Archer c Labuschagne b Boland 51)
All over. Scott Boland comes on for Cummins and gets the job done with a full delivery that Archer snicks to second slip. Archer batted for 153 minutes, a noble effort; now England just need him to take a quick seven-for.
Scott Boland ends England’s first innings. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 20.05 EST
87th over: England 286-9 (Archer 51, Tongue 7) An inswinger from Starc to Archer hits the pads and runs away for four leg-byes. Australia will have expected to be batting by now, but they won’t lose sight of the bigger picture – on a pitch that should break up, they are in a fabulous position. They lead by 85 runs.
86th over: England 279-9 (Archer 50, Tongue 5) “Were people happy with the Bashir selection?” asks Martin Whitman, referring to the comments about England’s squad in the 71st over. “I thought grudging acceptance was the most positive reaction I saw. And having brought him I am glad they didn’t feel forced to use him when he’s clearly not up to it. But less so that they didn’t realise that a year ago.”
I didn’t hear much criticism of Bashir’s selection – nervousness, certainly, but not criticms. I suspect they planned to play him from Adelaide onwards but have decided, from his form in the nets and tour games, that it’s too big a risk. That can happen, as it did with Steven Finn 12 years ago, but they should have had an experienced back-up. They don’t fancy left-arm spin in Australia at all, which complicated the potential selection of Jack Leach or Liam Dawson, and I think it would have been far too soon for Rehan Ahmed.
85th over: England 275-9 (Archer 50, Tongue 1) That wicket was Starc’s 19th of the series. Only Brydon Carse, with 11, has even half as many.
Mitchell Starc celebrates dismissing the English captain. Photograph: Darrian Traynor/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 19.53 EST