England are getting worse — Joe Root and Chris Silverwood may not survive this Ashes humiliation

• Australia vs England, second Ashes Test: full scoreboard

Australia are 2-0 up and unless Jos Buttler’s resilience is a turning point, another Ashes tour will become a graveyard for an England captain and coach.

England at least competed in the first two Tests of 2006-07, 2013-14 and 2017-18 when they lost 5-0, 5-0 and 4-0.

This time they have been outplayed in Brisbane and Adelaide where Australia were without two bowlers in the world’s top four and their new captain.

Buttler saved some face by resisting for 207 balls for 26 to unexpectedly force the officials to turn on the floodlights but England were bowled out for 192 and lost the second Test by 275 runs, more than a 150 runs heavier than their defeat in Adelaide four years ago.

The much trumpeted Ashes plan has turned out to be written in chalk and rubbed out in two attempts by Australia, who have dictated to an England side that has been in decline all year.

Joe Root was left bemoaning England’s short lengths in the first innings, repeating the same mistake of four years ago, but he picked the same two bowlers and at 35 and 39 with 316 Tests between them you know they are set in their ways. So much for not repeating the same mistakes.

There are three Tests remaining, if the pandemic allows, and recent history suggests they will be a landslide for Australia, unless the MCG pitch is another dead zone.

If the series ends four or five nil, it is hard to see both of Root and Chris Silverwood surviving. A double change is less likely, but Ashes hammerings must have consequences.

Andrew Flintoff and Duncan Fletcher were finished by the 2006-07 whitewash. The 2013-14 team were ripped apart by the pressure of losing in Australia.

Four years ago Root was a young captain just starting out. He had time to learn and would always get another chance. Trevor Bayliss, then coach, survived because he had another target: the 2019 World Cup. This time Root is vastly experienced and Silverwood has always said the “buck stops with me”. His record is now in the negative: 11 defeats compared to ten wins and five losses. His team are getting worse too.

The young batsmen Silverwood has picked out of county cricket failed to establish themselves, some of the decisions in Australia and India have revealed a coaching staff lacking knowledge of what it takes to win in the toughest conditions (just look at England’s attack in the pink-ball Test in Ahmedabad and two teams in Australia so far).

Root has more Test wins than any other England captain but it is an empty stat. He has never won a series of note against top opposition. He quickly attacked with the short ball despite leaving out Mark Wood and it took Stokes to take over on Sunday in his absence for some more sensible fields to be set and England revert to the basics of an off-stump line.

Root leads by example and this has been an extraordinary year of run scoring but to win here England needed their captain to make big hundreds, not 80s, and that elusive first century in Australia is proving a heavy weight to carry.

Batsmen frustrate despite rearguard

Buttler has now played 55 Tests and this tour must be a final judgement on him. He is averaging 21 against Australia from 12 games and came here promising to play his natural game but has had the biggest effect as a blocker. His keeping has been erratic and dropping catches is a major reason that England have lost both Tests. England will be stronger if Jonny Bairstow takes the gloves at the MCG and Buttler plays as a batsman, in place of Pope. It probably will not happen, England are loyal to a chosen few.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad did their jobs in Adelaide but they bowled the same length in the first innings as four years ago and it did not work then. This time it was worse. At least they bowled out Australia under the lights in 2017-18, although that may have been a fool's gold that cost England this time. They put so much faith in it happening again they lost sight of Australia’s formidable record in pink ball Tests and picked an all seam attack on a spinning pitch.

Before play started Lord Botham was asked what he wanted from the day by his Channel Seven colleagues. “Just a bit of fight,” he said.

Pope surrendered too easily. He has lost his off stump, is playing deliveries he should leave because he is eager to feel bat on ball. He is trying to copy Root’s positivity but a better role model in Australia would be Marnus Labuschagne, who left more than a quarter of the 405 balls he faced in this match.

The talent is there but when Pope poked the first ball from over the wicket from Mitchell Starc to slip it was a sadly predictable end.

Buttler could have recorded a pair but Alex Carey was motionless as an edge off Starc flew to his right. If he had held it, England would have folded and any remaining drops of Buttler’s confidence would have drained away.

Chris Woakes gave Buttler calm support, for a 190-ball eighth-wicket stand that gave hope of a remarkable rearguard.

The challenge would come with the harder second new ball which would test out Woakes against bumpers. Australia never really peppered him but a couple of shorter length deliveries from Jhye Richardson pushed him back and led to the lack of footwork which allowed a ball to nip in off the seam and hit the stumps.

Robinson edged Lyon to slip, but Buttler continued to defy the odds. With Broad at the other end he tried to marshall the strike and went too far back in his crease to manufacture a single and trod on his stumps. He was oblivious to the wicket until Warner pointed at the flashing bail.

Anderson edged Richardson to slip to give the young quick bowler a five-wicket haul and Steve Smith a glorious return as captain. Australia are so confident they have named their squad for the rest of the series. England go to Melbourne with no idea about their best XI — again.

Day five as it happened

10:02 AM

Lot of truth in this summation from Matt Prior and Alastair Cook

"England can't concentrate on the one percenters until they've fixed the 20 percent"

09:56 AM

Joe Root speaks

"It's disappointing because we made the same mistakes. We should have bowled fuller on the first day and with the bat guys need to apply themselves better. We're good enough, but we've not managed to do it, which is frustrating.

"The pitch didn't behave as we thought it would but they left very well again and we didn't bowl full enough. As soon as we did pitch it up we looked a handful

"It was heartbreaking to see Buttler get out like that. His innings was a great example to the rest of the guys. I hope the rest of our batsman look at that and we get a positive response."

09:52 AM

Ashes all but over as a competition

Australia takes a 2-0 lead!

Jhye Richardson finishes it by taking five in a Test innings for the first time!#Ashes pic.twitter.com/nsxvzeMHN3

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 20, 2021

09:45 AM

Australia win by 275 runs

England made them work on the final day - especially during that partnership between Woakes and Buttler - but the Christmas miracle was never really likely, was it?

Jhye Richardson finishes with a five-for. Steve Smith has captained Australia to a victory again. Who'd have thunk it?

09:43 AM

WICKET! Anderson c Green b Richardson 2

Australia win by 275 runs

09:42 AM

OVER 112: ENG 192/9 (Anderson 2 Broad 5)

More dodgy blocking. Slips, leg-slips, short legs hunting like vultures over a dying corpse.

09:39 AM

OVER 112: ENG 188/9 (Anderson 0 Broad 5)

Broad playing Richardson from square leg, basically. Defence looks about as sound as a Briton's Christmas day plans. James Anderson much the more solid, actually. Wonder if he shuld be taking more of the strike here?

09:35 AM

OVER 111: ENG 183/9 (Anderson 0 Broad 2)

Broad flinching and dancing all over the crease against Starc but survives. Australia all smiles in the cordon and around the bat. They know the end is close.

09:30 AM

OVER 110: ENG 182/9 (Anderson 0 Broad 1)

Richardson with the breakthrough then (yes, hit-wicket is attributed to the bowler). That's the 163rd time a batsman has been out hit-wicket in Tests. England are relying on Broad and Anderson to survive an entire session. The Barmy Army bugler needs to change his tune to the last post.

09:28 AM

WICKET! Buttler hit wicket, b Richardson - 26 (207)

No! Unbelieveable! Buttler has trodden on his stumps! He went all the way back into his crease to Richardson but too far, nudging the base of off stump and dislodging the bails. Australia can't believe their luck!

09:23 AM

OVER 109: ENG 182/8 (Buttler 26 Broad 1)

Mitchell Starc opens the bowling in the night session and Stuart Broad plays a defensive poke from so deep in the crease that he must be in danger of stepping on his stumps. The ball trickles out to the third man boundary but doesn't quite reach and there is no chance of the batsmen taking any more than the long single.

Starc is over the wicket initially to Buttler then changes angle to left-arm round and nearly gets Buttler tucking the ball off his hip, on the new angle, straight to short leg. Clever bowling.

Starc finishes the over with the double bluff: Buttler expecting the bouncer to keep him on strike but got the pitch-up ball, which he was very late on and inside edged for a useful single to fine leg. He keeps the strike

09:18 AM

Thanks to Rob Bagchi...

...for that stint on commentary. Josh Burrows here, taking over to escort you through this unfolding Christmas miracle. I hope.

09:16 AM

TEA: ENG 180/8 (Buttler 25 Broad 0)

England need to survive two hours. Australia need two wickets.

09:03 AM

At Auckland in 2013

Stuart Broad made a 137-ball six. Do that again and England will be in Houdini territory.

08:57 AM

OVER 108: ENG 180/8 (Buttler 25 Broad 0)

Head bowls skiddy, off-break darts. Buttler defends the first four on the back foot. Make that five. Head over the ball. Then kicks the last one out of the dirt and makes the safe harbour of tea.

08:55 AM

OVER 107: ENG 180/8 (Buttler 25 Broad 0)

And Broad survives the over but there will be one more before tea because it's not four overs it's four overs or 15 minutes, whichever is longer.

Travis Head will bowl it.

08:54 AM

NOT OUT

Terrible decision. He hit the cover off it.

08:54 AM

England review

Broad lbw b Lyon He hit it didn't he?

08:53 AM

OVER 106: ENG 180/8 (Buttler 25 Broad 0)

Green to Buttler who defends the first four on the back foot. Could do with a single. He can't get one off the inside edge when the ball keeps low. Nor off the last ball, which also keeps low. Buttler has survived 190 balls. Positively AB DeVilliers 2012, when he made 33 off 220 balls as South Africa secured a draw at Adelaide.

One more over until tea, unless a wicket falls and then we'll have another half hour.

08:49 AM

OVER 105: ENG 180/8 (Buttler 25 Broad 0)

Broad leaves two that rag away outside off, then blocks two that pitch on middle and off. A confident drive to cover preserves his wicket as does his jump across to block the last ball with his pads, hands held safely out of the way.

08:44 AM

OVER 104: ENG 180/8 (Buttler 25 Broad 0)

Buttler works the ball from Green through midwicket but turns down the single. Could have run two there, I think. He defends a couple, lets the chest-side bouncer through to the keeper and has one ball to nick the strike. He can't, defending it to cover.

08:42 AM

OVER 103: ENG 180/8 (Buttler 25 Broad 0)

Warner is straight into Broad's ear after Robinson departs. Four balls to survive. Four offside catchers for the left-hander who nicks it through Head at short gully. The next ball bounces, whistling barely an inch over the bails, beats Carey and they run two byes. Another scare off the penultimate ball, could have been out three times. The last ball fizzes past the bat and off they walk for tea. No! But the umpires bring them back for another four overs because they think a result is possible if they postpone the break.

Thirty-one overs left.

08:40 AM

Not out

Yes, would have vaulted the stumps.

08:40 AM

Australia review

Broad lbw b Lyon Padded up. High?

08:37 AM

Wicket!!

Robinson c Smith b Lyon 8 Robinson, encircled by three legside catches and three on the offside, Lyon comes round the wicket and the change of angle works. Smith takes a blinder low to his right. FOW 178/8

08:35 AM

OVER 102: ENG 178/7 (Buttler 25 Robinson 8)

Green beats Buttler with bounce and nip away but no bother, it was a no-ball. On the whole he defends convincingly until a fuller one on middle and off squares Buttler up and strikes the leading edge. The ball scuttles through point.

The last ball from the curiously, hitherto mothballed Green is another Jaffa, searing and spitting past the edge.

08:32 AM

OVER 101: ENG 177/7 (Buttler 25 Robinson 8)

Robinson flinches into one that spits up at him form Lyon, gloving it short of backward short leg. Good, probing over from Lyon, well negotiated by Robinson on the whole.

Whatever happens here, Buttler has saved his place and shown a way forward for England. He has knuckled down with impressive skill and graft. If England can ever give him the platform to play his natural game, who knows what he might achieve.

08:29 AM

OVER 100: ENG 177/7 (Buttler 25 Robinson 8)

Australia turn to Green and their management insists there's nothing wrong with him. Which is odd given his first-innings performance and the pace and bounce he generates. Buttler needs all his vigilance to leave the rising ball outside off stump but negotiates a testing over.

They have got through 100 overs. Who would have given them much of a price for that achievement when Pope fell in the third over of the day?

There are 34 overs left but darkness is coming and the ball misbehaves in the twilight.

08:25 AM

OVER 99: ENG 177/7 (Buttler 25 Robinson 8)

Robinson gloves one fine of short leg off Lyon which prompts the introduction of a backward as well as a forward short leg and leg slip. Robinson uses the turn to skelp two past leg slip. Robinson takes on the slog sweep but toes it and the ball dribbles out to midwicket.

08:21 AM

OVER 98: ENG 175/7 (Buttler 25 Robinson 6)

Buttler pops a short ball off his hip wide of short leg but turns down the single. Green is now warming up. Why leave him this late, unless he's injured? Buttler leans inside the leg-stump bouncer and lifts his hands out of the way. Starc manages to keep him down that end with the last two deliveries, back of a length, which he defends on the back foot.

08:16 AM

OVER 97: ENG 175/7 (Buttler 25 Robinson 6)

Buttler, crouching low, hangs on the back foot to defend the off-breaks then, when one is pitched up, leans into a square drive for a single.

Robinson is hit on the glove then the pad when he pushes forward but the ball drops short of the ring. The last ball squirts off the bat on to the pad past Labuschagne at short leg.

08:13 AM

OVER 96: ENG 174/7 (Buttler 24 Robinson 6)

Starc comes round the wicket. Solid defence from Buttler on off stump, leaving anything he can let go, blocking those he can't. Starc mouths off at someone moving behind his arm as Buttler pulls away. A single comes off the last ball as Buttler works a good length delivery through midwicket. He will face Lyon.

08:08 AM

OVER 95: ENG 173/7 (Buttler 23 Robinson 6)

Silly point, slip, leg slip and short leg for Robinson as Lyon resumes. The No9 batsman defends off front and back foot, covering the turn, which is prodigious out of Starc's footmarks, under the right-hander's nose. Robinson plays out the maiden.

A minimum of 38 overs left in the day. If only Stokes had hung on a bit longer.

08:05 AM

OVER 94: ENG 173/7 (Buttler 23 Robinson 6)

Leg slip in for Buttler as Starc hits the batsman on the back leg. High? Pitched outside leg? Yep, both. Buttler hops across to leave the angled delivery and then hops across to let one fly past his leg stump. Maiden. Clinging on for dear life here.

Lyon is coming back on from he Cathedral End.

08:00 AM

OVER 93: ENG 173/7 (Buttler 23 Robinson 6)

Lovely leg-glance from Robinson off Neser, pure Mohammed Yousuf. Four runs. The last ball nips back in and catches the inside edge, squirting past short leg but they turn down the single.

07:57 AM

OVER 92: ENG 169/7 (Buttler 23 Robinson 2)

Robinson steers the first ball from Starc through point at arm's length while backing away to leg. They run a single. The left-arm quick tests Buttler's front-foot defence. he leaves two, declines a single through point off the third ball and Starc successfully keeps him down that end with the last two.

07:50 AM

OVER 91: ENG 168/7 (Buttler 23 Robinson 1)

The first post-drinks over will be bowled by Neser and he starts with a bouncer at Buttler who limbos beneath it. Buttler takes a leg-bye off the one that nibbles back off the seam. Big appeal but it was hooping down the legside.

Neser shells a difficult caught and bowled chance to his right and behind him off Robinson who takes a single off the last ball through mid-on.

07:42 AM

OVER 90: ENG 166/7 (Buttler 23 Robinson 0)

Richardson makes Robinson play, which he does with soft hands, deflecting the ball through yhe slips but not past their dives. Out goes the man on the hook, Richardson bounces Robinson who ducks it and lets it pass over his left shoulder.

07:39 AM

OVER 89: ENG 166/7 (Buttler 23 Robinson 0)

The Richardson delivery that did for Woakes skidded through from back of a length. Through the gate. Woakes could reasonably have expected it to go over the stumps.

Buttler plays out a maiden from Neser, no thought of farming the strike.

07:35 AM

OVER 88: ENG 166/7 (Buttler 23 Robinson 0)

Richardson continues for a fourth over. Where's Green? Woakes flinches out of the way off the off-stump bouncer, pulling his hands inside the line at the last moment. He defends two nip-backers on the back foot. Australia have a 78 per cent chance of victory, England zero and the draw 22 according to CricViz's algorithm.

Richardson overpitches and Woakes creams him through cover for four and then ... balls!

07:33 AM

Wicket!!

Woakes b Richardson 44 Nip-backed in at full pace and knocked back middle stump. FOW 166/7

07:29 AM

OVER 87: ENG 162/6 (Buttler 23 Woakes 40)

Short spell for Starc, who is replaced by Neser. Buttler opens the face and dabs two wide of the cordon. Fox's commentators are talking up the draw, as if to tempt fate. Please don't.

Hint of shape for Neser in to the right-handers but Buttler defends them all confidently and leaves the ones that keep going down the corridor.

07:25 AM

OVER 86: ENG 160/6 (Buttler 21 Woakes 40)

Richardson has a short leg and men on the fence at long leg and deep backward square. SO far, so good for Woakes, alive to the short stuff and the fuller ball that tries to bring the slips into play.

07:22 AM

OVER 85: ENG 160/6 (Buttler 21 Woakes 40)

Starc decides to try some short stuff with men out on the hook but Buttler is up on his toes to defend and lets the next three slant across him into the keeper's gloves. Two defensives close out the over. It won't last but Australia have gone quiet in the field now. Lyon will be dangerous with a harder ball but these two, much-maligned cricketers, Buttler and Woakes, deserve credit for their grit and skill.

07:17 AM

OVER 84: ENG 160/6 (Buttler 21 Woakes 40)

Woakes hangs on the back foot to steer two through gully off an open face then glides two more through Green in that position with a vertical bat, blade opened towards cover point. Must be the first ball that's gone through him all series.

Richardson responds with a snorter that pitches on middle and fizzes away as Woakes is slightly squared up. He repeats the trick for an encore next ball.

07:13 AM

OVER 83: ENG 156/6 (Buttler 21 Woakes 36)

Starc has an orthodox gully as well as a point about 10m away from him. He's mainly pitching it up but tests him with a short one, which he defends off the back foot out to that man at point, then fiddles a single off the fullest one off his pads round the corner. Ah, no bat. Leg-bye.

07:08 AM

OVER 82: ENG 155/6 (Buttler 21 Woakes 36)

Swing for Richardson, who traps Buttler on the front pad with the first and appeals vociferously. Missing leg stump. The next is fuller and shapes away and Buttler plays and misses but lines himself up to leave the next two and defend the last pair.

07:05 AM

OVER 81: ENG 155/6 (Buttler 21 Woakes 36)

Smith calls up three slips and a gully, Starc slants it across Buttler who watches it go through to the keeper. England's 3i/c (vice captain when Stokes doesn't play) defends the straighter one then wears one adjacent to his box, just below his right pocket. Buttler leaves one, defends one on his toes into the offside then whisks a single off his pads to filch the strike.

That's the 50 partnership.

06:58 AM

OVER 80: ENG 154/6 (Buttler 20 Woakes 36)

Woakes defends Lyon on the back foot twice, make that three times ... four times. Warner is in Woakes' ear all the time, making routine deliveries seem like balls of the century. Maiden and the new ball is due.

Mitchell Starc grabs it. The game's afoot.

06:55 AM

OVER 79: ENG 154/6 (Buttler 20 Woakes 36)

Buttler plays out a decent maiden from Smith, good shape and drift and a wrong 'un chucked in. Lyon changes ends.

06:53 AM

OVER 78: ENG 154/6 (Buttler 20 Woakes 36)

Woakes plays out a Labuschagne maiden with no real danger. New ball due in two. Steve Smith is going to have one of them.

06:51 AM

OVER 77: ENG 154/6 (Buttler 20 Woakes 36)

England have put Saqib Mahmood on stand-by for the third Test. He's playing for Sydney Thunder in the BBL so is in the country.

Buttler drives on one knee through cover for two. A couple of strangled appeals, more for show than dough as they hit Buttler outside the line as he covered off stump.

06:47 AM

OVER 76: ENG 152/6 (Buttler 18 Woakes 36)

Big leg-break from Labuschagne. Woakes throws his hands at a drive but misses it as it turns past the blade. Woakes gorges on the full toss, pulling it hard for four then does the same again two balls later though this one was closer to wide mid-on and went through the air. He's bowling a mixture of fat pies and big rippers even if the Fox commentators are making him sound like Stuart MacGill.

06:44 AM

OVER 75: ENG 144/6 (Buttler 18 Woakes 28)

Matt Prior points out that Woakes is the only England player to reach double figures in all four innings so far. Lyon to Buttler, who is clipped on the thighpad and next ball is caught off his arm at leg slip when sweeping. Close to the glove but I think it was forearm.

Buttler taps a drive through mid-off for two. Mark Waugh thinks it hit the glove and takes three replays to decide that it didn't which seemed pretty plain to me.

Labuschagne will continue, too.

06:07 AM

DINNER: ENG 142/6 (Buttler 16 Woakes 28)

Diligence and discipline so far from Woakes and Buttler, both of whom are playing for their places and have survived 55 and 88 balls respectively. Had England managed to keep more wickets in hand, with Richardson and Neser toiling, Smith strangely reluctant to use Green, their chances of saving this might quadruple (from five to 20 per cent) but there's too far to go, well, so far, as Woakes is playing. One wicket and nine, 10 and 11 will be easy meat for Starc.

All they can target is little victories: put more miles in the bowlers' legs, do nothing to boost the confidence of Richardson and Neser, discomfort and inconvenience them as long as possible, show Australia how good you are.

06:02 AM

OVER 74: ENG 142/6 (Buttler 16 Woakes 28)

Woakes sees out the first three from Labuschagne comfortably but can't beat the infield, then flicks the fourth through midwicket for two. He defends the last two and walks off for dinner, the partnership unbroken on 37.

At least they've made it to lunch but with the new ball due in six overs, there's far too far to go to dine with anything other than trepidation.

05:59 AM

OVER 73: ENG 140/6 (Buttler 16 Woakes 26)

Lyon comes over the wicket to Buttler, having ended the previous over coming round. He pins him but too high and outside the line. Next ball pins him again as he misjudges the sweep but again it's outside the line. This is nerve-wracking. Buttler defends with pad on to glove but just short of short leg who then takes a catch off the pad. Buttler sees out the over on the back foot after a full-blooded sweep was stopped by Green, diving at square leg. One more over before the break.

05:56 AM

OVER 72: ENG 140/6 (Buttler 16 Woakes 26)

He starts with a short leg-break that Woakes cuffs into the onside. The next one turns but starts too wide but then he gets the drift that makes it threatening. Woakes edges short of second slip. Warner is shouting after every ball. It all adds to the drama regardless of how dangerous the delivery actually is. Big turn, though, and if he can get the line consistently right he will be a handful.

05:53 AM

OVER 71: ENG 140/6 (Buttler 16 Woakes 26)

Richardson has cut a hole in his left boot to allow his big toe some comfort but he's worn through the sock as well. His naked big toe is poking through. Looks very dodgy.

Maiden for Lyon to Buttler and Smith replaces Richardson with Labuschagne not Green. Hmmm.

05:51 AM

OVER 70: ENG 140/6 (Buttler 16 Woakes 26)

Woakes uses the edge, deliberately, to steer four off Richardson through third man. Green must be the better option with his height and bounce. Woakes looks compact in defence and leaves one in the channel. They decide with the last ball of the over to bring in a short leg but Richardson delivers the half-tracker miles outside off stump.

05:46 AM

OVER 69: ENG 136/6 (Buttler 16 Woakes 22)

Woakes defends on the back foot with bat and, on one occasion, box. Lyon is being pumped by the close catchers, telling him how beautifully he's bowling. Woakes hangs back to slap a single behind point and it must be time for Cameron Green. Neser and Richardson haven't been very menacing at all yet. But it will be Richardson.

05:43 AM

OVER 68: ENG 135/6 (Buttler 16 Woakes 21)

Richardson is sub 80mph mainly but still elicits the edge despite worrying away over his front-foot landing spot. Buttler's soft hands divert it into the ground, at least 6ft short of slip.

Richardson falls over after delivering the final ball, leading Brett Lee to question the length of his spikes. Maiden.

05:38 AM

OVER 67: ENG 135/6 (Buttler 16 Woakes 21)

Lyon throws one up and Woakes climbs into the cover drive, drilling it in front of cover point for four. Lyon comes round the wicket and Woakes defends, encircled by silly point, slip, leg slip and short leg, who catches him off his pad and pretends to the crowd that it was a legitimate catch. Labuschagne, what a card ...

05:36 AM

OVER 66: ENG 131/6 (Buttler 16 Woakes 17)

Richardson with another no-ball. It's infectious. He makes him play at only three of them, which Buttler defends. No doubt Richardson's pace is down now. They start again on Sunday. Keeping them out there as long as possible can only help.

05:34 AM

OVER 65: ENG 130/6 (Buttler 16 Woakes 17)

Woakes comes down to Lyon again and connects this time, spooning a drive wide of short midwicket who dives but can't reach it. Generally Woakes has been playing him well off the back foot but looks skittish off the front. But good to mix it up. Stokes just tried to smother everything.

So the 13 who have played here and at Brisbane, plus Khawaja as the back-up batsman and Swepson, the reserve spinner, a leg-break bowler and one of an army of Australian Mitchells.

05:28 AM

OVER 64: ENG 128/6 (Buttler 16 Woakes 15)

On comes Jhye Richardson and Buttler greets a shortish, no-ball with a glorious back-foot punch for four, then uses the width to clip two down to third man by opening his wright wrist. He leaves a couple judiciously. Richardson is bowling at 81mph but can produce (with a new ball at least) the type of delivery that spat at Haseeb Hameed.

05:23 AM

OVER 63: ENG 121/6 (Buttler 10 Woakes 15)

Buttler sweeps solidly for a single, hard and square. Woakes almost falls to the big off-break when he comes down and can't get back when the ball crashes into his pad. Harris at silly point lobs the ball back with Woakes stranded but misses the stumps and Carey can't gather or flick the ball back.

05:20 AM

OVER 62: ENG 120/6 (Buttler 9 Woakes 15)

Smith sticks with Neser who plugs away on a fourth stump line and a fullish length. Woakes opens the face to drive wide of the cordon for four and then jams down on the yorker. Smith has an offside ring for Woakes with two slips, first and third, point, short cover, short extra. Woakes still pierces the ring with a drive for two past Labuschagne.

05:16 AM

OVER 61: ENG 114/6 (Buttler 9 Woakes 9)

Adam Gilchrist wants Buttler to attack, to play to his strengths "and not worry about the consequences". But the consequences here, were he to hole out, would likely be the end of his Test career. He plays out a maiden from Lyon.

05:13 AM

OVER 60: ENG 114/6 (Buttler 9 Woakes 9)

Runs at last off the debutant Neser, Woakes driving him for two through cover then, next ball, chastising it through point off the front foot for four more. Australia, despite their lead of 350=, shit the door on Woakes' cover drive. Surely they want him playing that stroke? He finds the gap nonethless, driving for two more through extra.

05:10 AM

OVER 59: ENG 106/6 (Buttler 9 Woakes 1)

Woakes drives Lyon off a leading edge through mid-off. He was looking to cream that through mid-on. I don't know how much more of this anyone can take! (She's filing her nails while they're dragging the lake).

05:04 AM

OVER 58: ENG 105/6 (Buttler 9 Woakes 0)

Maiden for Neser to Buttler. Time for drinks. An England wicket generally falls just after every break in this series so hold on to your hat/heart/apoplexy.

05:01 AM

OVER 57: ENG 105/6 (Buttler 9 Woakes 0)

That's curtains for England ... not that we anticipated any different. The only thing left to settle is how rapidly Australia can roll them over and for what paltry score.

04:59 AM

Not out

He didn't touch it, despite Labuschagne's belief that 'he drove it'.

04:58 AM

Australia review

Woakes c Carey b Lyon No hotspot. Will all be down to Snicko.

04:54 AM

Wicket!!

Stokes lbw b Lyon 12 Lyon wheedled him out in the end after 50+ balls of smothering defence. Got him with the quicker one as he hung on the back foot. It'll be all over pretty quickly now. FOW 105/6

04:53 AM

Australia review

Stokes lbw by Lyon Heading down? No bat.

04:51 AM

OVER 56: ENG 105/5 (Stokes 12 Buttler 9)

Buttler plays and misses down a fourth-stump line but blocks the next one which is much fuller. The right-hander edges comfortably short of slip but there was no need to play at that. Too many strokes from England's batsmen at deliveries on a fourth- and even fifth-stump line.

04:48 AM

OVER 55: ENG 105/5 (Stokes 12 Buttler 9)

Buttler flicks Lyon for a single off his legs, Stokes brings up the hundred with his first boundary, a slog sweep and the two batsmen exchange singles into the offside, though Buttler's should have been two. Stokes wanted a second but Buttler was adamant.

Mark Waugh says Ollie Pope's problem is that he looks too rushed, too frenetic.

A bowling change: Neser will replace Starc.

04:46 AM

OVER 54: ENG 98/5 (Stokes 7 Buttler 7)

Starc continues to put his back into it and begins his 17th over with a no-ball to Buttler. A squandered chance by the keeper and a no-ball. It's catching! Buttler shoulders arms to the first legitimate delivery and defends the next into the covers. Starc reverts to the slanting angle and Buttler lifts his hands out of the road. Buttler taps the shorter one off his hip for a single and Stokes, up this end for the first time in 40 minutes. lets the last ball fly unmolested through to Archbishop Carey.

04:38 AM

OVER 53: ENG 96/5 (Stokes 7 Buttler 6)

Attritional batting from Stokes, defending the first couple, but then he slaps a back-foot punch into Labuschagne's foot at silly point. He edges one short of slip with soft hands. The left-hander looks in trouble every time Lyon pitches on middle or even middle and leg. Maiden.

04:36 AM

OVER 52: ENG 96/5 (Stokes 7 Buttler 6)

Curious field, an offside ring saving a single and only two slips and a gully. Three balls in he calls up a short leg. Buttler leaves and blocks, then plays a forward defensive to the one slanted across him. I think he kept his bat inside the line there, or held his line. But it's heart in mouth stuff.

Buttler chisels out the yorker on middle and leg and the last ball, an off-stump yorker. "The Mallorca, the holiday resort," giggles Shane Warne who then embarks on a paean to Spain, specifically Marbella.

04:32 AM

OVER 51: ENG 96/5 (Stokes 7 Buttler 6)

Stokes tiptoes back and across to whisk two behind square off Lyon. After four balls of relative calm, he is pinned by the last ball, outside the line, by the one that skids straight on.

Starc is going to have another over.

04:29 AM

OVER 50: ENG 94/5 (Stokes 5 Buttler 6)

Starc has two men out on the hook for Buttler, who ducks a short one that flies over off stump. When Starc goes fuller, Buttler plays at it and edges it into the ground, 3ft in front of Warner at first slip. The right-hander tucks a single off his hip. Stokes does the same. That should be the end of this Starc spell. He is still nursing his back.

04:24 AM

OVER 49 ENG 92/5 (Stokes 4 Buttler 5)

Stokes is away for the day, leaning back to clip a single into the legside. Buttler misses out on a sweep, the ball hitting his wrist, helmet and dropping short of short leg. He nails the next one, though, cuffing it for a single.

Stokes, playing back, is hit on the back leg by an off-break that rags. Australia appeal for leg-before and a catch (as Labuschagne grabbed it and suggested there was some glove there). The umpire shakes his head and Smith is unpersuaded on the case for DRS.

04:20 AM

OVER 48 ENG 90/5 (Stokes 3 Buttler 4)

Buttler fiddles after the kind of ball, though a touch fuller, that did for Pope. He defends pretty stoutly when the ball is targeting the stumps but looks a prime candidate for nicking off. Smith posts a short midwicket and short cover.

Buttler shoulders arms to one across him. That's a better policy.

Oh, my. Australia give Buttler a life when he nicks it between keeper and first slip. Carey didn''t move. It was definitely his to take. Warner gave him the space to dive. Perhaps they feel they owe Buttler one after his drops on day one.

04:15 AM

OVER 47 ENG 86/5 (Stokes 3 Buttler 0)

Maiden for Lyon to Stokes who covers the turn well but isn't looking to score.

04:12 AM

OVER 46 ENG 86/5 (Stokes 3 Buttler 0)

Absolutely no need for Pope to play that. Stuck on off stump, regardless he still lets his hands follow the ball despite his guard telling him it was wide. That should be it for Pope for a while though Messrs Bairstow, Crawley or Lawrence hardly inspire confidence.

04:08 AM

Wicket!!

Pope c Smith b Starc 4 Nicks off, following one outside off, angled across. Goodnight Vienna. FOW 86/5

04:06 AM

OVER 45 ENG 86/4 (Stokes 3 Pope 4)

Lyon straight away. 'He's got the pink ball humming,' says Shane Warne. Two slips, silly point and short leg for Ben Stokes. He defends outside off and then an off-break on middle, the one that will be the biggest threat today. Lyon pins Broad with a skiddy one but hits him too high, though he was on the back foot. Stokes plays calmly outside off, not so much against a straighter line. Maiden.

04:03 AM

OVER 44 ENG 86/4 (Stokes 3 Pope 4)

Starc continues round the wicket to Pope, England's greatest young batting talent who needs to turn promise into consistent achievement. He blocks the first and pushes the second calmly into the covers. As has been pointed out, Pope has played the same number of Tests as Marnus Labuschagne. One has seized the initiative, the other has been stymied by injury and casual dismissals.

Starc uses the angle again and Pope whips a full ball off his toes for four through midwicket. Nice stroke.

03:56 AM

Play starts at 4am GMT

With Ollie Pope to face the final four balls of Mitchell Starc's over. New ball due in 36.4 overs. Let' see if they can get there.

03:55 AM

No hope of the weather saving England

Or the pitch, which will turn more than it has done at any other point in the match, which is worrying news for Ollie Pope who looks befuddled by Nathan Lyon in his three innings so far.

England will have to do it all by themselves and the only way they can do that it to survive blocks of overs, batches of five, no more than 10. Ben Stokes looked good last night but his task is so huge, we shouldn't even entertain it as a fantasy. Some king of respectable defiance is the first goal. Go out with a bang, not a whimper. Building a partnership would be welcome and for Pope and Buttler to show us why they deserve to play at the G.

03:25 AM

Good morning

Ad welcome to live coverage of day five from Adelaide where, barring a miracle, England are heading for a defeat that would confirm they would go into the third Test 2-0 down for the fourth time in the past five tours.

At least, one supposes, they made it into day five, unlike the first Test, which is progress of a sort but all promise on this tour generally lasts, at most, a session before a collapse that provokes more rage than sympathy despite how badly these players have been let down by their board and strange management policies.

Had Joe Root, Viz's Buster Gonads come to life yesterday, not got out or sensibly retired hurt when struck in an intimate location for the second time in seven hours, there may have been a touch of false hope around this morning. But reality tends to bite in these situations and even so Australia, with two rookie bowlers in their attack, would manage to maintain their superiority, bowling probingly, precisely and patiently, on a length England's two greats finally felt comfortable achieving only 25 overs into the hosts' second innings.

There is a whiff of four year ago about the scorecard. England were 176 for four overnight at the end of day four at the Adelaide Oval and began the morning with words of defiance and yet were all out for 233. If England were somehow to manage to avoid a crushingly quick defeat, it will be down to Ben Stokes and two more players sticking around for long periods but it would never feel safe until they reached the safe harbour of the end of the day with at least one wicket intact. It is possible but the likelihood is so vanishingly small that we should banish all thoughts of it for now. That way, woth this England team overseas, madness lies.