16th over: Australia 69-1 (Head 35, Labuschagne 11) Labuschagne swivels on his front foot and pulls a shorter ball through square leg for four. The No 3 is more concerned with the ball pitching outside off-stump and angled into him.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.31 EST<\/p>\n 15th over: Australia 64-1 (Head 35, Labuschagne 6) Ben Stokes continues around the wicket to Travis Head with the ball angled into \u2013 and at times across \u2013 the left-hander. A leg slip is in place which helps limit Head\u2019s options. Maiden over.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 14th over: Australia 64-1 (Head 35, Labuschagne 6) Marnus Labuschagne has been troubled by Josh Tongue ever since the England bowler stepped into the series. He looks more comfortable so far today as he clips a straighter ball off his pads to the rope. The Australia No 3 picks up two more with a drive the stays in the air a little too long as it floats through point. Joe Root waddles off the field with one ball remaining in the over as the centurion is wincing and holding his back.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 13th over: Australia 57-1 (Head 34, Labuschagne 0) Ben Stokes gets the breakthrough – yet again – with Weatherald out lbw as the England skipper continues to show his teammates the benefits of pitching the ball up. Carse did it well in Australia\u2019s second innings in Melbourne, but has fallen back into old habits so far today. Marnus Labuschagne is full of energy as he sees out the over.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Weatherald lbw b Stokes 21 (Australia 57-1)<\/p>\n Ben Stokes is straight back on the plan after the drinks break as he targets Weatherald\u2019s middle-to-leg-stump region. The opener misses at the first and then plays around a straighter ball to be sent on his way lbw. Unlike in Melbourne, Weatherald reviews but the ball is shaving leg-stump and the decision goes with umpire\u2019s call. It had been coming as England continue to expose a weakness.<\/p>\n Ben Stokes dismisses Jake Weatherald on day two of the fifth Ashes Test. Photograph: Mark Baker\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.12 EST<\/p>\n 12th over: Australia 57-0 (Head 34, Weatherald 21) Head waits for the relatively bad ball from Tongue as he needs little width to slice a cut over cover to the rope. That\u2019s drinks.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 11th over: Australia 53-0 (Head 30, Weatherald 21) Stokes has, in my view, been England\u2019s most threatening bowler across this Ashes series and has 13 wickets at little more than 21. Head clips an easy single off his pads but Stokes gets the ball to shape away from Weatherald who again plays and misses while defending with a straight bat. The opener flicks a single off his legs but no surprise to see Stokes target both left-handers there.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 10th over: Australia 50-0 (Head 29, Weatherald 20) A 50-run partnership comes off the back of contrasting knocks from the opening pair. Head brings it up with a rare loose shot as he square cuts a delivery angled into his body and survives an inside edge that bounces around the stumps. Tongue has Weatherald defending and missing with a straight bat on fourth stump. The lights are on at the SCG with a storm brewing out in western Sydney while Ben Stokes is warming up.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 9th over: Australia 48-0 (Head 28, Weatherald 19) Brydon Carse continues over the wicket to Travis Head who keeps chasing anything targeted outside his off-stump. A delivery off a good length stays low but will worry the batters on both sides even as it drifts around the off-stump. Head lifts a cut shot over point to take off the pressure with a boundary from next to nothing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 8th over: Australia 44-0 (Head 24, Weatherald 19) Josh Tongue takes over from Matthew Potts and immediately troubles Head more than he has been all innings. A fuller delivery crashes into the opener\u2019s pads but the appeal is quickly waved away for heading down leg. Sloppy fielding from Will Jacks sliding into the rope as he throws back the ball hands Weatherald a boundary.<\/p>\n Josh Tongue appeals unsuccessfully for Travis Head\u2019s wicket. Photograph: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.49 EST<\/p>\n 7th over: Australia 39-0 (Head 24, Weatherald 15) DROPPED! Weatherald pulls off his hips and picks out Ben Duckett. The England fielder dives low to his left but grasses a chance that really should have been grasped. Perhaps another life for Weatherald, though only two have truly been there for the taking. Head looks much more comfortable and smashes a fuller ball for three straight down the ground.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 6th over: Australia 35-0 (Head 21, Weatherald 14) Weatherald carves a boundary off another cut shot. The opener is all but relying on that same stroke for scoring at the moment. A square cut takes a thick edge and flies over Joe Root in slips who can only get a finger on the ball before it races away to the rope. Weatherald might be using up all his lives at the moment, even while facing the less threatening pace from Potts.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.38 EST<\/p>\n 5th over: Australia 26-0 (Head 21, Weatherald 5) Weatherald gets off strike and away from the danger end with a single off an unconvincing pull shot and bottom edge. Carse gives Head far too much room as the Australia opener fires a blazing cut to the rope then resists the temptation to try to do the same with one a little closer to the body.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 4th over: Australia 21-0 (Head 17, Weatherald 4) Head shows his fellow leftie just how to play the ball targeted at the body as he thwacks a shorter ball from Potts through square leg to the boundary. That\u2019s easy pickings for Head but Potts digs the next delivery in shorter and on a similar line. Head rocks back but his timing is off a little as he settles for two through midwicket. A wider ball is back of length and crunched through cover for another four, and Head finishes the over on one leg while again pulling away to the rope. A poor over from Potts but let\u2019s put it down to rust.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 3rd over: Australia 7-0 (Head 3, Weatherald 4) Weatherald gets off the mark with a square cut close to his body that races away to the rope. England won\u2019t mind the Australia opener attacking the ball in those areas. Carse straightens up his line and Weatherald looks fresh out of ideas as he lets one delivery crash into him and moves late to dodge a shorter ball.<\/p>\n Jake Weatherald gets hit on his helmut grill by a Brydon Carse delivery. Photograph: Dean Lewins\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.25 EST<\/p>\n 2nd over: Australia 3-0 (Head 3, Weatherald 0) Matthew Potts takes the new ball in his Ashes debut. Head flicks a ball off his hips back in front of the wicket for a couple. A strange shot but it has paid off this time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.20 EST<\/p>\n 1st over: Australia 1-0 (Head 1, Weatherald 0) Brydon Carse immediately finds a bit of movement off the pitch and after Travis Head glances for a single it leaves Jake Weatherald in all sorts. The left-hander begins with a waft outside off-stump, then is rapped on the pads as Carse pitches the ball up ands narrowly outside his leg-stump. An unlikely appeal goes up and Weatherald sets off for an ambitious quick single but is rightly sent back by Head and only survives when the ping at the stumps sails wide. A chaotic start for the opener in his fifth Test who calls for fresh gloves and perhaps something to settle the nerves.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Travis Head and Jake Weatherald wander out from the glorified sheds at the SCG as Byrdon Carse marks out his run to prepare us for what should be a gripping final session. Here we go \u2026<\/p>\n The Richies enjoying themselves at the SCG. Photograph: Gareth Copley\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.17 EST<\/p>\n Chris Wright writes in to back Joe Roots efforts in Australia which now tally 1286 Test runs at an average 38.96.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe Root now career-averaging 40 in Australia! It really never was the desert for runs people made it out to be for him, was it? He\u2019d passed 50 nine times before this series, 80 three times. He had just lacked a century \u2026 and a win.\u201d<\/p>\n Root now has two tons in Australia, and no reason to think he can\u2019t help make it a pair of Ashes victories as well.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n It feels like Australia worked their way back into the contest after taking the new ball when even the clinical Joe Root was limited to 21 runs from the 40 balls he faced in that period.<\/p>\n But that hasn\u2019t doused the enthusiasm of David Banks who writes in from afar.<\/p>\n \u201cJust messaging to say than you for all your work allowing me to follow the Ashes even from North Carolina, a world away from sun drenched Australia. Come on England!\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Travis Head was quick to ask the question as soon as Neser wrapped up the England innings and the players will take an early tea that would normally be another 20 minutes away. The Australia openers won\u2019t mind avoiding the 2-3 overs they would otherwise have had to face, but they are set to have their work cut out when play does resume with the pitch offering more movement as the day has gone on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>England all out for 384<\/p>\n Michael Neser knocks over Josh Tongue with the ball talking off the pitch. Australia have kept England to under 400 as the flow of runs dried up after the drinks break and as batting has become trickier throughout the day. Joe Root put on a clinic to reach 160 \u2013 his second ton and highest score in Australia. That\u2019s tea as well.<\/p>\n Joe Root acknowledges the crowd after being dismissed for 160. Photograph: Robbie Stephenson\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.54 EST<\/p>\n WICKET! Root c & b Neser 160 (England 384-9)<\/p>\n Joe Root\u2019s masterful knock comes to an end. It was always likely to need something special to send the centurion on his way. Michael Neser has Root popping up an awkward delivery, as the Australia quick charges across the pitch and dives to take a superb catch.<\/p>\n Michael Neser of Australia celebrates taking the wicket of Joe Root. Photograph: Robert Cianflone\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.51 EST<\/p>\n 97th over: England 383-8 (Root 159, Potts 1) Root clips a single off the first ball of the over and puts all his faith in Potts to see off Green. The England batter ducks under a couple of shorter deliveries and is largely untroubled.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 96th over: England 383-8 (Root 159, Potts 1) Michael Neser has the ball doing beautiful things but Matthew Potts is unable to even get a feather on it. Australia will of course be hoping to restrict England to under 400, but there are signs that the conditions are turning more and more in favour of the bowlers. Maiden over.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 95th over: England 383-8 (Root 159, Potts 1) Cameron Green finally claims a wicket with a much better over to Carse and then Matthew Potts. The Ashes<\/a> debutant picks up a single to square leg.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.36 EST<\/p>\n WICKET! Carse c Carey b Green 1 (England 382-8)<\/p>\n Cameron Green gets some bounce off a short-ish length and Brydon Carse can\u2019t resist a dabble away from his body. Alex Carey takes a fine catch sliding across to his right but the celebrations are muted while the Australians wait to confirm that Green hasn\u2019t overstepped again.<\/p>\n Cameron Green celebrates taking the wicket of Brydon Carse. Photograph: Dean Lewins\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.44 EST<\/p>\n 94th over: England 382-7 (Root 159, Carse 1) Michael Neser works away at fifth stump but it will take more than that to remove Joe Root at this stage. The centurion picks up a couple of the back foot then eases singles through midwicket and straighter down the ground.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.34 EST<\/p>\n 93rd over: England 378-7 (Root 156, Carse 0) Joe Root continues on his merry way with a trademark glance to fine leg for two runs then a single off the back foot. Brydon Carse sees out four dots from Cameron Green. The fast bowler might have got the memo that England are here to bat for at least most of the afternoon.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> Thanks Tanya. And how exciting to have some #proper Test cricket on our hands with an even battle between bat and ball and the former mostly on top for the time being. The Australia quicks have found plenty of movement since taking the new ball but Joe Root looks as calm and composed as he has on distant shores for more than a decade, while Will Jacks was hanging in there bravely until Scott Boland finally got some reward. The coming session and a half is likely to have a huge influence on the outcome of this series finale.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll be guiding us through to stumps. Send me your predictions, thought bubbles and other musings with an email<\/a> or @martinpegan on Bluesky<\/a> or X<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Jacks c Green b Neser 27 (England 375-7)<\/p>\n After being batterered and bruised during a 62 ball vigil, Jacks gets a leading edge to Green in the gully. A breakthrough for Michael Neser in his first over after lunch. Time for me to go to bed now, thanks for all your many emails, sorry I couldn\u2019t get to them all. Martin Pegan will guide you through to stumps. Good night!<\/p>\n 92nd over: England 375-7 (Root 153)<\/p>\n Michael Neser dismisses Will Jacks. Photograph: Darrian Traynor\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.32 EST<\/p>\n 91st over: England 374-6 (Root 152, Jacks 27) England have survived the first phase of the new ball. Cameron Green replaces Starc, can he find the control he had just before lunch? Just a single from it.<\/p>\n \u201cHi Tanya,\u201d Hello Ben Barclay! \u201cWhy didn\u2019t Stokes change his batting position to 7th or so to avoid Mitchell Starc?\u201d I think Starc would come on whenever Stokes walked in, though, albeit, not always with the new ball. But it doesn\u2019t feel very Stokes to try and escape the new ball. The players take drinks.<\/p>\n![\"Martin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Martin_Pegan.png\")
Martin Pegan<\/p>\n