Jos Buttler drops Marnus Labuschagne twice as Australia dominate day one of second Ashes Test

• Full scoreboard from second Test in Adelaide

• Smith returns as captain after Cummins is pinged

• Madness of Australia's zero-Covid obsession could yet ruin the Ashes

• Broad wins 150th cap and dismisses Harris for three

• Buttler drops Labuschagne on 21 and again on 94

• Warner falls short of hundred after picking out fielder with half-tracker

Australia lost a captain but gained a grip on the Ashes by the end of an unforgettable first day of the second Test.

It started with breaking national news over breakfast that Pat Cummins had been contact traced and would miss the game.

By the time it was over under pitch black skies at the Adelaide Oval, Australia were 221 for two and 30,000 fans laughing at Jos Buttler for dropping the simplest of catches off Marnus Labuschagne five short of his century.

When Cummins was ruled out two-and-a-half hours before play, mentions were made of Glenn McGrath stepping on the ball at Edgbaston in a pivotal moment of the 2005 series. Was history repeating itself in the most modern way possible?

Australia had lost their leader, world’s no 1 ranked bowler and England were primed to bowl with a pink ball, long identified in their supposedly meticulous planning as the leveller between the sides.

Labuschagne’s unbeaten 95 from 275 balls, David Warner’s 94 and their 172 run second wicket stand broke that sense of optimism and highlighted England’s muddled selections again. By cotton wooling Mark Wood for the next Test, England picked five right arm over seamers all singing the same tune, and with no lateral movement were reduced to banging the ball into a leg side field in the vain hope of a batsman making a mistake and holing out.

All that happened was Australia gave England’s top order a lesson in patience and determination, prizing their wickets and putting away their egos to stay in for the team.

The sight of Steve Smith, there at the end unbeaten on 18 was not really a surprise, but the fact he was captain was an eye rubbing moment of disbelief on an extraordinary day given that not that long ago Tim Paine was in charge and Smith still in purgatory.

Smith averaged 70 as captain before his sacking and since then Australia have unearthed a clone in Labuschagne. He is more correct but copies some of Smith’s fidgeting and mannerisms as well as his insatiable appetite for batting so to drop him twice was galling.

Buttler was the culprit both times. The first on 21 was high to his left and tricky but he had earlier snaffled a much harder, similar chance off Marcus Harris, England’s only wicket in the first 65 overs.

The second was a sitter. Labuschagne was surprised by extra bounce and movement from the second new ball bowled by James Anderson and edged behind. Buttler could not believe it as the ball slipped from his gloves and thousands laughed as the replay was shown. Buttler tugged down his blue England cap trying to hide from the world. Anderson turned on his heels, his view not hard to guess.

England bowled well enough with the new ball and could have had two or three wickets as they beat the bat, close lbws calls went Australia’s way and edges failed to carry.

Without Wood’s pace they had no variety, no x-factor. Here were England picking five seamers a week too late and leaving out Jack Leach on a pitch with some purchase.

Ben Stokes took on the enforcer role as Root went to Plan B, setting fields with as many as six on the legside as his bowlers banged the ball in short.

It conjured ghosts of the Bodyline Test in Adelaide and while Labuschagne’s comment that "when you go away from the top of off that's a good thing for a batter” will not last down the ages like Bill Woodfull’s famous Adelaide put down 89 years ago that there “were two teams out there, one is trying to play cricket, the other is not”, it was an equally damning judgement on what had gone on.

The problem with having so many fielders on the leg side boundary was that it drastically slowed England’s over rate in the afternoon as they swapped over for the right and left hander.

The result was England were short of their overs and Root had to whizz through some off spin so they could at least get nine in with the second new ball.

Injuries to Jofra Archer and Olly Stone limited England’s options but Wood had to play in this game as a potential matchwinner with the pace to worry Australia and target Warner’s cracked ribs. Instead here were Broad, Chris Woakes and Anderson reprising their roles of four years ago when Australia made 442 for eight declared in the first innings.

Harris came and went quickly enough and we may not see much more of his nervous prods in this series again. Warner survived the challenge of Broad bowling round the wicket and his dig at the start of his spell “what guard are you taking? Still batting on off stump?"

Warner took 20 balls to score a run, 38 to hit a boundary and crawled to the third slowest fifty of his career but it was blunting England in 30 degree heat. Labuschagne and Warner put on their sixth hundred partnership in 12 innings.

The short ball theory nearly worked as Labuschagne gloved a one down the leg side but the chance would not stick in Buttler outstretched hand.

Warner opened up in the second session, lacing boundaries between the leg side fielders and four fours flowed in nine balls as both batsmen picked their spots.

It was a shock when Warner holed out, stepping back to leg and slapping Stokes straight to Broad at cover. Warner looked close to tears as he walked off, a second score in the 90s a crushing disappointment but had done so much to tip the balance Australia’s way.

Smith nicked off early in Brisbane but apart from Ollie Robinson, England persisted with the leg side theory instead of line and length, until getting the new ball. Anderson carved out the opportunity, Labuschagne edged but Buttler fluffed it, the sixth chance missed by England in five days of Ashes cricket. They are not helping themselves in so many ways.

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Analysis: Woakes is the right man in the wrong job — England should have picked Wood

By Tim Wigmore

It was 9:08pm at the Adelaide Oval, and Chris Woakes began a new spell, charged with swinging the pink ball under the Adelaide lights.

This was just the sort of situation for which Woakes had been picked. Except, there was one snag. Rather than bowling with the new ball, as is his forte, instead Woakes was bowling with one that was 75 overs old. In three overs, Woakes located a good length, and found enough nip to beat the edges of both Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. But as soon as the new ball was available, Woakes was whisked back out of the attack.

Woakes is a Test cricketer of many gifts. With the new ball, he has wonderful control of line and length and a penchant for swing which makes him a reliable taker of new-ball wickets: his average of 24.5 in the first 30 overs of an innings is even better than Jimmy Anderson or Stuart Broad.

There is, then, a very legitimate case that England were right to pick Woakes for the second Test at Adelaide. The problem was not that he was picked, but that he was miscast. Once England had decided that Anderson and Broad would play, then England already had their new-ball attack.

With Ollie Robinson selected too, England picked four seamers best-suited to using the new ball. And so Woakes, a cricketer in his 41^st Test match was selected to do an entirely different role to that in which he excels.

England’s selection in Adelaide has borne the hallmark of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England football team. Eriksson was blessed with three wonderful attacking midfielders, in Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes. Rather than drop one of them, he instead compromised their effectiveness: playing Lampard and Gerrard together, without a defensive midfielder to provide cover, and shunning Scholes to the left, which contributed to his premature retirement from international football. Eriksson’s England learned an eternal truth: a team’s best players don’t automatically add up to their best team.

It is a lesson that Chris Silverwood and Joe Root have not heeded. Woakes has a strong claim to being a better Test cricketer than Mark Wood: as well as being a better batsman, he averages four runs fewer with the ball. The trouble is, he is not better at Wood at doing the particular role that England require.

On the opening day in Adelaide, Woakes was limited to four overs while the ball was new, during which he came close to dismissing David Warner lbw. But these were the only four overs he bowled in the first 39 of Australia’s innings.

And so for the bulk of his day’s work, Woakes was required to do a role for which he is ill-suited. Just as opening the batting and batting in the middle order require very different skills, the same is true for bowling with the new ball and in the ‘dirty overs’ between the first and second new balls.

For all his qualities, this has never been a role in which Woakes thrives. With the old ball - between the 31^st and 80^th overs - in Tests, Woakes averages 35.4, which soars to 45.1 in away Tests. Against batsmen in the top seven away, Woakes averages 62.8 with the old ball, taking a wicket every 133 balls. Though he bowled with good control, nothing in Woakes’s track record suggested that he was the right man to prise out David Warner, and then Smith and Labuschagne, with the old ball.

It is not hindsight to say that Wood, with his extra pace and bounce, would be altogether better-suited to this task.

While Woakes has a far superior record to Wood with the new ball in Tests, Wood has been far more successful with the old ball: he averages 32.7, and just 23.8 with the old ball away. Wood’s spells with the old ball have helped to win England Tests in St Lucia, Johannesburg and Galle. Indeed, Wood has taken more wickets with the old ball in seven away Tests than Woakes has in 16.

For all the strategic thought they give to other facets of selection, too often England select their seam bowlers as if it is a simple ranking exercise, rather than one in assembling their best-balanced attack. Wood is now 32, and there are major long-term injury concerns over Jofra Archer and Olly Stone in the five-day game; indeed, at the age of 28 Stone has already said that he is considering retiring from the format due to his back issues.

If they are to avoid returning to Australia in four years time and selecting a surfeit of new-ball quicks once again, England need to develop seamers adept at bowling with the old ball. Given the pitches and schedule in the County Championship, this will require strategic thinking.

Saqib Mahmood, a bowler who can reverse swing the ball at 90mph and has already impressed in limited-overs international cricket, has the attributes to emulate Wood in succeeding with the old ball in Test cricket. Mahmood opened the bowling in both innings for England Lions against Australia A last week. Yet England have seldom lacked for new-ball weapons. England would be better-served harnessing Mahmood's talent into being an old-ball bowler.

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Second Ashes Test, day one, as it happened:

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12:13 PM

That's all from me...

But read Nick Hoult's report from Adelaide for a full recap of an eventful day. Do join us on day two as England seek early wickets in an effort to finally gain a foothold in the series.

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11:51 AM

Marnus Labuschagne's end of day thoughts

On David Warner's knock:

On his own verbal antics at the crease, Labuschagne added:

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11:43 AM

Matt Prior on Jos Buttler's second drop

"The feet need to do the work to get you there. It looked like his energy levels were dropping. It was lazy wicket-keeping."

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11:41 AM

Ouch

An abysmal day for England, who saw their WinViz fall from 33% at the start of the day, to 8% at the close. Two dropped catches off Marnus Labuschagne, and some questionable selection calls, have left them with a win very unlikely after just one day of play. #Ashes

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) December 16, 2021

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11:38 AM

England had their chances once again

Joe Root's side bowled quite well today. They were very economical throughout, but Jos Buttler dropping Marnus Labuschagne twice has been costly. Australia are now in a commanding position unless England can take a few early wickets with a new-ish ball on day two.

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11:34 AM

STUMPS: AUS 221/2 (Smith 18 Labuschagne 95)

This will be the last over of the day. Just the one will be lost today, which is much better than usual... Broad will bowl it.

Labuschagne extravagantly leaves the first ball. Broads then draws a play and miss with a delivery that just holds it line. Well bowled. He then strikes the batsman in the thigh pad. A leave follows.

Broad spears in a full ball which Labuschagne inside edges onto his pad. Here comes the last ball of the day. It is full, Labuschagne blocks it and, of course, proclaims "no run".

Australia's day.

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11:29 AM

OVER 88: AUS 221/2 (Smith 18 Labuschagne 95)

Robinson continues. He fails to make Smith play from the first three balls of the over as the end of play edges closer. The fourth ball is sent down leg and is also left. Smith attempts a flick from another legside ball but misses it. Another leaves completes a maiden.

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11:25 AM

OVER 87: AUS 221/2 (Smith 18 Labuschagne 95)

Broad has changed ends. His first ball zips through to the keeper. Smith then pushes a single into the offside. Labuschagne plays out the rest of the over.

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11:21 AM

Here is the latest Buttler drop

The edge comes. The edge goes.

Jos Buttler shells Marnus Labuschagne on 95.#Ashes pic.twitter.com/FeTobR1ums

— Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) December 16, 2021

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11:20 AM

Not been Buttler's series with the gloves...

This is the seventh time in his Test career that Jos Buttler has dropped two catches in a Test innings. Two of them have come in the last week. #Ashes

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) December 16, 2021

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11:20 AM

OVER 86: AUS 220/2 (Smith 17 Labuschagne 95)

Robinson is into the attack. He starts with a couple of dots before Smith drives the ball back past him for three. England are flat after that horrific Buttler drop.

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11:16 AM

OVER 85: AUS 217/2 (Smith 14 Labuschagne 95)

Anderson has not looked as threatening with the new ball as Broad. England have restricted Australia's scoring well but they need a wicket or two before the end of play to salvage the day.

Buttler has just dropped an absolute sitter! His second drop of the day! Anderson draws a regulation edge from Labuschagne, it comes through at rib height and he shells it. Wow. That was poor. England needed that badly.

Labuschagne has a second life and the chance of a hundred.

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11:12 AM

OVER 84: AUS 216/2 (Smith 14 Labuschagne 94)

Labuschagne hands Smith the strike from the first ball of Broad's over. Three dots are followed by a lovely cover drive from Smith. He needed that, has been struggling to score.

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11:08 AM

OVER 83: AUS 212/2 (Smith 10 Labuschagne 94)

Anderson is swinging the ball into Smith. He is up to the task thus far. The away swinger the comes, but that too is well defended. Maiden.

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11:03 AM

OVER 82: AUS 212/2 (Smith 10 Labuschagne 94)

Broad will take the new ball from the other end. Short leg in place along with a couple of slips.

His first ball rears up from a length, hitting the elbow of Labuschagne. He takes a knee briefly. The next ball is well left. Broad then delivers a peach that draws a play and miss. And repeat. Two terrific balls on the bounce. Labuschagne remarks to no one in particular: "I don't know what you want me to do, that nipped a mile."

Top over from Broad - but still no wicket.

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10:57 AM

OVER 81: AUS 212/2 (Smith 10 Labuschagne 94)

Here comes the new ball! The lights are on, time for England to take advanatge. They have just over 30 minutes of peak bowling conditions.

The first three balls from Anderson do not do much, but the fourth swings away considerably. The next swings in. Good signs for England. Maiden.

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10:53 AM

Madness of Australia's zero-Covid obsession could yet ruin the Ashes

Australians have been conditioned not to find it strange that Pat Cummins is in isolation despite not having the virus, writes Oliver Brown.

Read his full piece here

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10:53 AM

OVER 80: AUS 212/2 (Smith 10 Labuschagne 94)

Woakes will bowl the last over before the new ball. Anderson is warming up already.

Woakes ends an excellent over with a play and miss from Labuschagne.

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10:49 AM

OVER 79: AUS 212/2 (Smith 10 Labuschagne 94)

Root continues, and a another single follows. Not long to the new ball now...

Just one from the over.

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10:47 AM

OVER 78: AUS 211/2 (Smith 10 Labuschagne 93)

Woakes beats Smith all ends up with a delivery that just holds it line. He then goes wide of the crease but Smith is up to the task. Good over from Woakes, maiden.

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10:43 AM

OVER 77: AUS 211/2 (Smith 10 Labuschagne 93)

Root is worked for one by Smith. Labuschagne does the same. And repeat. Root is bowling a touch too straight, here.

Three from the over.

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10:41 AM

OVER 76: AUS 208/2 (Smith 8 Labuschagne 92)

Woakes is into the attack for some donkey overs before the new ball. Five dots are followed by a flick for two by Labuschagne.

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10:37 AM

OVER 75: AUS 206/2 (Smith 8 Labuschagne 90)

Smith works Root off his hip for a single. Labuschagne plays an expansive shot for no run before working an easy one. Smith does the same. A drive through extra-cover takes Labuschange into the 90s.

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10:34 AM

OVER 74: AUS 202/2 (Smith 6 Labuschagne 88)

Broad starts his over full and straight, Labuschagne blocking the ball back to him. The rest of the over is played out defensively. Maiden.

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10:30 AM

OVER 73: AUS 202/2 (Smith 6 Labuschagne 88)

Root continues. Labuschagne sweeps for one, bringing up Australia's 200! Smith hands him back the strike. And another single follows. Solid over from Root.

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10:28 AM

OVER 72: AUS 199/2 (Smith 5 Labuschagne 86)

Broad is into the attack at the other end. His first ball is clipped by Labuschagne for no run. Broad reverts to a short length towards the end to the over, the last ball is pulled for a single, pinching the strike.

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10:23 AM

OVER 71: AUS 198/2 (Smith 5 Labuschagne 85)

Root is back into the attack. His first ball is down leg, but it does turn a decent amount. A rapid fire maiden from Root, just what England need with their slow over-rate.

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10:18 AM

OVER 70: AUS 198/2 (Smith 5 Labuschagne 85)

Robinson draws a thick edge from Labuschagne. He then hits the pads but it was sliding down the legside, despite England's appeal to the umpires.

Labuschagne blocks the last ball of the over, remarking "that was a nice delivery".

Maiden. That will be drinks.

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10:14 AM

OVER 69: AUS 198/2 (Smith 5 Labuschagne 85)

Labuschagne takes on Stokes, pulling the ball along the ground to the boundary. A less convincing shot follows. He then gets off strike. Smith fends a short ball but it lands just short of Hameed at short leg!

England's over rate has been poor again, despite being fined last Test. England will not get much time with the new ball under the lights. A tactical oversight, perhaps.

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10:11 AM

OVER 68: AUS 194/2 (Smith 5 Labuschagne 80)

Robinson delivers four dot balls to Smith before over-stepping. The first short ball of the over is pulled convincingly for four.

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10:05 AM

OVER 67: AUS 189/2 (Smith 1 Labuschagne 80)

Stokes continues. Labuschagne picks up two before nailing a textbook pull shot for four. A top edge hits Labuschagne, ballooning over his head but falling short of Buttler. That was close! He then ducks a couple of short balls before flicking two off his hips, helped by a Burns misfield.

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10:00 AM

OVER 66: AUS 181/2 (Smith 1 Labuschagne 72)

Root is off, opting for Robinson to the new batsman. Labuschagne pulls the first ball of his spell for one. Robinson then beats Smith with a delivery that just nips away. And repeat, this time the ball hitting the back pad. Good stuff from Robinson. He squares up Smith once again. The lights might just be starting to take effect as Smith begins his innings.

Challenging over.

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09:57 AM

Here is the slightly comical Warner dismissal

What was David Warner doing?

He falls in the 90s for consecutive Tests and his reaction says it all...

A huge breakthrough for England 👊#Ashes pic.twitter.com/jUizrfN8Iy

— Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) December 16, 2021

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09:55 AM

OVER 65: AUS 180/2 (Smith 1 Labuschagne 71)

Captain Steve Smith comes to the crease with a great reception from the crowd. Stokes goes short at him first ball and he pulls for one. Labuschange gives him back the strike. He ducks the final ball of the over. Nope, it is a no-ball. He does then duck the actual final ball of the over, however.

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09:52 AM

WICKET! Warner c Broad b Stokes 95

Oh dear. Warner falls in the 90s once again. He backs away and nails a half-tracker straight to Broad at cover. Terrible dismissal. England really needed that.

FOW: 176/2

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09:51 AM

OVER 65: AUS 178/1 (Warner 95 Labuschagne 70)

Stokes bangs it in and Warner hooks him for four over the packed legside field!

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09:49 AM

OVER 64: AUS 172/1 (Warner 91 Labuschagne 70)

England have started leaking runs and Root has had enough. He is bringing himself on.

A dot to Warner is followed by a clip for one. Labuschagne hands him back the strike. Warner does the same.

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09:46 AM

Not a stat that England fans will enjoy

The last time Day 1 of a Test in Australia had less sideways movement than today, David Warner made 335* against Pakistan - also a day-night Test, also in Adelaide. #Ashes

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) December 16, 2021

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09:45 AM

OVER 63: AUS 169/1 (Warner 89 Labuschagne 69)

Here comes the much-needed change to the attack. Stokes is replacing Woakes.

Stokes gets all the way to the crease before Warner pulls out. The all-rounder is not best impressed. When the first ball is delivered, it is a loopy bouncer that is in no danger of making the bastmen play.

Warner carves a full ball over the offside in-field. Four more. A pull shot gets him off strike.

England have opted for a very legside-heavy field for Labuschagne, so he backs away and whacks it for four through point. Another short ball comes, this time with no run the result.

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09:39 AM

OVER 62: AUS 160/1 (Warner 84 Labuschagne 65)

Anderson continues. He is around the wicket to Warner, striking the opener on the thigh pad. He responds by pulling the ball off the front foot for four. Top shot, that. Warner gets off strike with a cut out to deep point.

Labuschagne pulls a secondy boundary of the over. That was just too short.

Shadows have started to appear across the Adelaide Oval, but it still remains light.

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09:34 AM

OVER 61: AUS 151/1 (Warner 79 Labuschagne 61)

No change from Root with Woakes continuing. He starts the over with a dot ball. Warner hacks a full ball through mid-on for three. 150 up for the hosts!

Woakes gets the ball to jump off a length, slamming into the top of Labuschagne's bat.

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09:31 AM

OVER 60: AUS 148/1 (Warner 76 Labuschagne 61)

Might be time for a bit of Stokes and Root. Stokes bowled a lively short spell that had Labuschagne in trouble while Root was getting some turn before tea. It will be Anderson to continue, however.

He starts the over with an excellent delivery that angles in and jags away, beating Labuschagne all ends up. The eccentric batsman then rocks onto the back foot, punching a couple through the covers.

In an unusual development, it looks like Anderson has swallowed a fly. This only halts the match briefly... not sure Anderson enjoyed that accidental snack.

Labuschagne chips the last ball of the over just short of Stokes at catching extra-cover. That was not far away.

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09:26 AM

OVER 59: AUS 146/1 (Warner 76 Labuschagne 59)

Steve Smith is jogging on the spot in the Australia dressing room, looking eager to get out there. Warner takes a single, Woakes then bangs one in and Labuschagne hands him back the strike with a comfortable pull shot.

Two from the over.

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09:23 AM

OVER 58: AUS 144/1 (Warner 75 Labuschagne 58)

Anderson restores some order to proceedings with a maiden. England are looking weary and lacking a spark. Hopefully Mark Wood is enjoying watching from the sidelines.

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09:18 AM

Full = runs on this pitch

Australia's run rate against the seamers today:

Full Balls - 4.3rpo
Good length - 0.6rpo
Short balls - 2.9rpo#Ashes

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) December 16, 2021

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09:17 AM

OVER 57: AUS 144/1 (Warner 75 Labuschagne 58)

A full ball from Woakes is driven nicely, a diving Stokes limiting it to two. Warner repeats the shot, this time beating Stokes and collecting three runs. Bit floaty from Woakes this over.

Labuschagne then nails a straight drive for another three. Stokes has done a lot of running this over...

Not great bowling.

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09:13 AM

OVER 56: AUS 136/1 (Warner 70 Labuschagne 55)

Warner pushes Anderson through the covers for a well run two. A dot follows before Warner gets off strike with a nudge through point.

Labuschagne plays out the remainder of the over without scoring. Australia are looking very comfortable.

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09:09 AM

OVER 55: AUS 133/1 (Warner 67 Labuschagne 55)

Woakes starts from the other end. Labuschagne inside edges the first delivery of the over for a streaky two. Woakes persists with a full and straight area. He get ones to just nip away but Labuschagne leaves it well alone.

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09:05 AM

OVER 54: AUS 131/1 (Warner 67 Labuschagne 53)

Anderson is around the wicket to left-handed Warner, making him play with a full and straight delivery. The Australian opener plays the over cautiously, getting his eye back in after a break. A short and wide ball is cut away for two.

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09:00 AM

The players are back out on the pitch

Anderson will start the session for England.

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08:59 AM

Boycott's view: 'Australia aren't even a great team'

"At dusk when the light comes down, that pink ball can do crazy things. The trick for both teams will be batting well when the sun is shining. The trick for the captains will be to find a way of bowling at the right time."

"Each England batsman should be made to stand in front of a mirror and ask if they could have done better in Brisbane. This Australia team are not even a great team, but they have five or six top cricketers and England can't wait for them to bat badly."

Listen to the full Boycott briefing below

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08:55 AM

England are in desperate need of wickets

Morning everyone, it has been another frustrating day for England. Chances have not been taken and now Joe Root's side look like they are relying on the lights to provide some extra zip and movement in the final session of the day.

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08:46 AM

TEA: AUS 129/1 (Warner 65 Labuschagne 53)

Hard graft from both batsmen but there's been skill as well as grit. England may curse their luck after losing the toss, bowling attractively and eliciting more than a dozen play and misses from Labuschagne and unnerving him with some bodyline stuff but they haven't done enough to get ahead in the game. They need at least four wickets in the night session to claim something approaching parity and then bat their socks off.

That's me done for today. Jake Goodwill will be your guide to the close.

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08:43 AM

OVER 53: AUS 129/1 (Warner 65 Labuschagne 53)

Root to bowl the final over before the second interval. He is getting bounce and turn. They start the over with a single apiece and end it in similar vein.

Root's final ball is a quick seamer, banged in, that surprises but doesn't beat Labuschagne

Australia win another session. Of the 12 in the series so far, the score stands at Australia 10-2 England.

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08:38 AM

OVER 52: AUS 125/1 (Warner 63 Labuschagne 51)

Labuschagne is beaten by a Robinson beauty that pitches on off-stump and snakes past the edge as he pushes at it. He was dropped on 21 and piles the pain on Jos Buttler by bringing up his fifty with an off-drive for three. You can't compete in Test cricket if you keep spilling chances and for a keeper to be at fault, as Buttler was here and at the Gabba, is unforgivable.

Warner flicks two off his pads off a no-ball.

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08:35 AM

OVER 51: AUS 119/1 (Warner 61 Labuschagne 48)

Root returns for a fourth over and Australia sense it's milking time, going Ted Rogers, 3-2-1 off the first three balls. Stokes can't reach a chance off Labuschagne at leg slip, standing too square. Then one grips and rips past the edge after Warne misses a reverse sweep which bounces, hits his helmet and runs down his back but just misses hitting the stumps.

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08:30 AM

OVER 50: AUS 113/1 (Warner 60 Labuschagne 43)

Two thousand Test runs for Labuschagne when he drives Robinson through mid-off for three. Stokes cramps up after giving chase but seems to be OK after a stretch. Warner flicks a single off the hip and Labuschagne pulls for two. Seizing the initiative is all about timing and Australia think this is the moment.

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08:25 AM

OVER 49: AUS 107/1 (Warner 59 Labuschagne 38)

Another hundred partnership for Warner and Labuschagne as the former tries to accelerate, smearing Broad off the back foot through point for two. Their highest partnership? 361 at Adelaide two years ago. Mother! Warner swivels to pull Broad for a single. Labuschagne also pulls for one.

England are pursuing their policy of patience until the lights come on but it is exposing their identikit attack.

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08:21 AM

OVER 48: AUS 103/1 (Warner 56 Labuschagne 37)

Robinson replaces Woakes. Slip, gully. Starts at 74mph. He has consistently the fullest length of England's battery of right-arm over fast medium bowlers and Labuschagne defends four off the front foot and leaves the other two. That's England's 15th maiden of the day.

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08:16 AM

OVER 47: AUS 103/1 (Warner 56 Labuschagne 37)

Hameed misses another stop at square leg from a Labuschagne clip off his toes. It bobbled over his hands as he dived and they run three. Broad comes back round the wicket to Warner and keeps him scoreless with four dot balls.

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08:12 AM

OVER 46: AUS 100/1 (Warner 56 Labuschagne 34)

Warner is starting to turn the screw, turning two off a square drive into three by hustling the first two. Woakes beats Labuschagne outside off with a back-of-a-length delivery, his 12th play and miss this innings but Labuschagne stands tall to clip a single through point and post Australia's hundred.

Oh, joy.

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08:07 AM

OVER 45: AUS 96/1 (Warner 53 Labuschagne 33)

Broad returns for Stokes and Warner turns the tables on his nemesis by launching him over long-off for three with a full swing of the blade. Labuschagne defends one off the front foot, one off the back foot and leaves one. Warne is back on, questioning England's selection as ever, no spinner and no quick. He's right about Mark Wood. I don't think Jack Leach would have been pickable here. But after making his point Warne proceeds to hammer it home insufferably. We heard you the first time.

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08:02 AM

OVER 44: AUS 93/1 (Warner 50 Labuschagne 33)

Woakes finds the edge but soft hands from Labuschagne means it scuttles along the ground to Pope at gully. Woakes then goes for the slower ball, gets it slightly wrong and it doesn't pitch. Labuschagne whisks it off middle for four through square leg.

Woakes, the slower ball misexecution apart, is bowling well and squares Labuschagne up but he manages to steer it through gully for two.

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07:58 AM

OVER 43: AUS 87/1 (Warner 50 Labuschagne 27)

Stokes continues to pepper Labuschagne with Root and Hameed in as catchers. He defends a couple while on his toes and twitching but is wise to Stokes' attempt to then beat him with the fuller one, defending it off the back foot. He may be jumpy but he is still managing to keep the ball out ... and takes a single when one doesn't climb from round the wicket, clipping it off his thigh down to fine leg. Maybe 87 can do the trick for England.

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07:52 AM

OVER 42: AUS 86/1 (Warner 50 Labuschagne 26)

Another handsome delivery from Woakes, a cutter that zips away from the shoulder of Labuschagne's bat. He follows it with a nip-backer that the right-hander blocks late but blocks nevertheless.

The right-hander squeezes a single wide of gully and though Warner heard the call late he beat the throw to the striker's end.

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07:50 AM

OVER 41: AUS 85/1 (Warner 50 Labuschagne 25)

Stuart Broad spoke at drinks: " We're working hard. It's pretty hot out here. I felt as a team we bowled well enough in the first hour and a half to pick up three wickets. We think the pitch is slower than we expected. We are just trying to contain the rate and wait for our moment when the sun sets."

Extraordinary stroke from Warner off Stokes to step away and and swat the ball over cover, quite deliberately, for four. And then he brings up his third slowest Test fifty with a pull behind square for four more.

Stokes responds with a perfume ball and a deodorant delivery at the armpit, both of which he evades.

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07:46 AM

Matt Prior on Buttler's drop

People will say that it's a tough chance but at this level it's really not, and you have to be taking it. He just doesn't get that second step in [towards the ball] so he has to throw his right hand at the ball and unfortunately can't gather it cleanly. He's got himself a bit stuck, a bit wrong-footed. In contrast for the first catch [of Marcus Harris], he gets that second step in before the dive which means the hard work has been done already.

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07:41 AM

OVER 40: AUS 77/1 (Warner 42 Labuschagne 25)

Warner whisks two off the back foot off Woakes's first delivery then is given a single by Hameed's misfield at point. The ball leapt a little and hit him on the knee after bouncing. Labuschagne leaves three with a Norman Wisdom flourish outside off. Drinks!

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07:37 AM

OVER 39: AUS 74/1 (Warner 39 Labuschagne 25)

Bah! Maths. Stokes comes over the wicket to Labuschagne and keeps him hopping around on the back foot but all that matters as he builds this platform is that he keeps his wicket intact. Root takes the helmet at silly mid-off. Labuschagne pulls inside the line of a leg-stump bouncer off successive balls, blathering 'No run!' after each of them. Maiden.

Time for the Warwickshire Wiz.

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07:33 AM

OVER 38: AUS 74/1 (Warner 39 Labuschagne 25)

Root continues round the wicket to left-hander and right-hander alike. Labuschagne clips one off his pads but is sent back when wanting to hustle a second. Warner chips two over cover, well hunted down by Stokes, then drives a single to the cover sweeper. Labuschagne uses the angle to work another single to square leg and take Australia almost to a rate of two per over.

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07:30 AM

OVER 37: AUS 69/1 (Warner 36 Labuschagne 23)

The repeated replays of Buttler's drop shown that he just misjudged the pace and flight. He probably didn't need to drive. Labuschagne pops one off his ribs round the corner and Warner is bounced, pulling off the front foot to midwicket. The next ball climbs wickedly outside off and Warner jack-knifes out of the road. The lack of at least two slips is perplexing.

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07:24 AM

OVER 36: AUS 68/1 (Warner 36 Labuschagne 22)

Double change: Root brings himself on from round the wicket to Warner. The left-hander charges down and smears a cover drive for four. Another cover drive earns him a single. Labuschagne pinches the strike with a cover drive for a single. He will face Stokes.

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07:21 AM

OVER 35: AUS 62/1 (Warner 31 Labuschagne 21)

Leg theory for Stokes at Warner with no slips but a short leg and three men out on the pull as he targets the left-hander's chest from round the wicket. Warner walks across to roll his wrists on a pull for a single.

Same approach for Labuschagne who gloves a chance to Buttler to his left and the keeper drops it. It came off the glove slower than he thought and his feet weren't quick enough.

Labuschagne defends on his toes, rattled by the line of attack, shouting his defiance: 'Well played Marnus.'

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07:16 AM

OVER 34: AUS 61/1 (Warner 30 Labuschagne 21)

Anderson beats Warner on the shoulder of his bat as the left-hander jabbed at one outside off but then squirts a single through point off the back foot. It's frustrating for the England bowlers as it often is at this pace and with their teasing lines and run-miser length.

Ah, good. Here comes Ben Stokes.

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07:14 AM

OVER 33: AUS 60/1 (Warner 29 Labuschagne 21)

It's hard yakka for bowlers and batsmen and both are grafting diligently so far. Robinson bangs it in to Labuschagne who takes on the pull, collaring it high on the bat. Broad leaps at square leg to the right of the umpire, soars to his left and tries to stick up his right hand to gran it but can't reach it. Not sure if he went late or it just wasn't catchable. The ball runs away for four.

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07:08 AM

OVER 32: AUS 56/1 (Warner 29 Labuschagne 17)

Anderson entices the edge from Labuschagne but he plays it with low, soft hands and it falls wells short of second slip. The right-hander pokes a single through gully and England's infielding, which has been sharp so far, keeps Warner down Anderson's end.

Stokes unnerved both. Bring him back asap.

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07:04 AM

OVER 31: AUS 55/1 (Warner 29 Labuschagne 16)

Robinson's pace is up on this morning's efforts as he pitches up to Warner, who defends. 'Gus Fraser', says Mark Waugh of Ollie Robinson. I thought that was Toby R-J? How England have missed him.

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07:00 AM

OVER 30: AUS 55/1 (Warner 29 Labuschagne 16)

Australian commentators are criticising England's body language. Too hangdog, apparently. It's difficult to tell, given we can see only the bowler properly and in Jimmy's case, he's always like that. He's from Burnley.

Anderson makes Labuschagne philander with two outside off, (could have been capital P Philander with that movement off a scrambled seam), that hold their line as the right-hander gropes after them.

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06:56 AM

OVER 29: AUS 55/1 (Warner 29 Labuschagne 16)

Labuschagne leaves the first two that rise over the stumps and the next two, too, on line and length. At last he makes him play when he pushes it into his pads but he misses it, running a le- bye to fine leg nonetheless. Robinson hangs one outside Warner's off-stump and he carves a cut for four. Buffet ball. That's the fifty partnership.

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06:53 AM

OVER 28: AUS 50/1 (Warner 25 Labuschagne 16)

Anderson squares Warner up and hits him on the thighpad with a nip-backer. Too high and probably missing leg stump, too. Warner pads up and is struck on the back leg in front of middle but too high again. As soon as Anderson pushes it fuller, Warner drills a square drive for four. It wasn't a good length, though. It was far too full. There's such a fine, fine line.

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06:48 AM

OVER 27: AUS 46/1 (Warner 21 Labuschagne 16)

Robinson comes on for his second spell from the Cathedral End. Pitches up, too far, half-volley length and Warner flicks it for a single through midwicket, helped by a misfield. Labuschagne continues with his softly, softly approach, leaving and defending as Robinson gives him no width to attack.

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06:44 AM

OVER 26: AUS 45/1 (Warner 20 Labuschagne 16)

Captain Cautious, Sir Alastair Cook, thinks Anderson's length has been OK because keeping control of the run-rate is vital. He fears that if he pitches up and these two drive, the game could quickly be taken away from England. In for a long attritional battle, it seems.

He starts fuller and wobbles it into off and middle. Labuschagne defends the first five balls stoutly, all angling in to the right-hander. Make that six. A fourth maiden for Anderson.

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06:40 AM

The players are back out

Glenn McGrath says Anderson needs to bowl fuller. He's going to open this session.

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06:04 AM

Dinner: AUS 45/1 (Warner 20 Labuschagne 16)

Usually 'absorbing' is a euphemism when applied to a session that has shown signs of promise but falls too short of fulfilment. That one was both genuinely absorbing and one where England will feel disappointed, as well as they've bowled, going for less than two an over. They have to hit them hard in the first hour of the evening session, adding wickets to their economy. They have definitely unsettled both batsmen. Can they knock them over now?

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06:01 AM

OVER 25: AUS 45/1 (Warner 20 Labuschagne 16)

Labuschagne ducks Stokes' bouncer then swivels and control-pulls, rolling his wrists, for a single to one of the fine legs. Stokes comes round to Warner who duck hooks but can't get a single. England put a third man back for the pull. Warner tries to collar a short one from outside off and misses it. Stokes has his dander up but strays too wide outside off and Warner leaves it.

The umpires take the players off for dinner.

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05:56 AM

OVER 24: AUS 44/1 (Warner 20 Labuschagne 15)

Joe Root is going to have an over before tea. Warner drives a single to cover, as does Labuschagne, though his owes more to a misfield. Warner is done by Root's angle and turn and chips one off the shoulder to where silly point woulda/coulda/shoulda been. He also plays and misses at a cut.

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05:53 AM

OVER 23: AUS 42/1 (Warner 19 Labuschagne 14)

Labuschagne is struck on the right index finger as he defends a Stokes bouncer in front of his Adams's apple. Hameed comes in to short leg. Labuschagne steps back and cuts hard, angling it just wide of second slip for four. With two men out for the hook plus short leg. Labuschagne improvised and almost paid for backing away.

This excellent from Stokes, a proper chin symphony. Stokes hits him on the glove again and then flush on the solar plexus. That's got to smart.

That's better! Mr Punch concurs: That's the way to do it.

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05:48 AM

OVER 22: AUS 38/1 (Warner 19 Labuschagne 10)

Broad tries the bouncer to Warner who rocks on to the back foot and collars it, thumping a pull off his chest for four. Broad decides to try from over the wicket, pushing the ball further up. Brett Lee says England have simply bowled too short this session. It has given them good economy but they haven't threatened enough.

Comes back round and Warner leaves on length as the ball clears the stumps.

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05:43 AM

OVER 21: AUS 34/1 (Warner 15 Labuschagne 10)

A wide off a ballooning bouncer and a no-ball litter Stokes' second over. He is already crimson in the face and straining for some rhythm. He is brilliant when he finds his groove and sometimes all he needs is work and overs. Let's hope he can find it. Labuschagne hops into a backward defensive, dicks a bouncer and fends one off his midriff when Stokes come round the wicket. Two wides and a no-ball make it a nine-ball over.

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05:39 AM

OVER 20: AUS 30/1 (Warner 14 Labuschagne 10)

Broad, round the wicket, to Warner. He defends the first two but Broad pushes the next across him and Warner deftly flicks it through midwicket for four. Australia have grafted like billyo, showing great patience and are poised to reap the rewards when the ball goes soft. This is exactly what your top three are supposed to do. England desperately need a wicket now.

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05:33 AM

OVER 19: AUS 25/1 (Warner 9 Labuschagne 10)

Warner chisels out Stokes' yorker and then squeezes a single to the left of Root at gully as the England captain dives and parries it to point. Labuschagne lets the bouncer go past but is forced to play one that angles into his ribs, hurried into playing it off the maker's name. Labuschagne has gone 26 balls without scoring.

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05:30 AM

OVER 18: AUS 24/1 (Warner 8 Labuschagne 10)

Warner cuts Broad's first ball. Hameed saves the single at point. When he does pitch it up after a couple of dot balls it's too full and Warner bunts the low full toss through mid-on for three. It's still an old-fashioned oval and the straight boundaries are massive. It was a no-ball, too.

Broad gets the scarmble seam to nibble away from Labuschagne who didn't follow it. The next one is pitched up and beats him properly rather than prettily and follows it up with its identical twin. Make that triplets as Labuschagne plays and misses on the front foot at three that flirt with the edge off a fullish length. The scrambled seam makes the ball move off the pitch and swing after it has beaten the bat.

Double change. Here comes Ben Stokes.

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05:23 AM

OVER 17: AUS 20/1 (Warner 5 Labuschagne 10)

The good news is that Broad is warming up. Meanwhile Labuschagne and Robinson is turning into a good contest, not sure, ultimately, which is predator and which is prey. The No3 nicks a defensive into his pad, leaves everything outside off, ducks the bouncer and scrambles back to defend one on off and middle.

Broad is coming back on.

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05:20 AM

OVER 16: AUS 20/1 (Warner 5 Labuschagne 10)

Malan and Hameed stop singles with smart diving stops at cover and point respectively. Warner shoulders arms to anything on a good length. England are bowling tidily with 10 maidens from 16 overs but one can't but help thinking the game has already drifted Australia's way. England need wickets to arrest that momentum change. Broad has been the best bowler. Get him back on even if it's only for a couple of overs.

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05:16 AM

OVER 15: AUS 20/1 (Warner 5 Labuschagne 10)

Labuschagne is out of his crease too. Labuschagne is hit on the back thigh pad when leaving, rightly confident the ball was vaulting the stumps. It may take Stokes to bring the pain to Warner. Robinson has pushed his average speed up to 80mph. It's a maiden but nothing to imperil a batsman of Labuschagne's class.

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05:11 AM

OVER 14: AUS 20/1 (Warner 5 Labuschagne 10)

Woakes is hitting the seam hard and bowling well, clipping Warner on the thigh pad, beating him on the inside and outside edge with successive balls. But this is what Warner did at the Gabba. Scratches around and fights for a decent score. Woakes bangs one in and strays too wide, Warner crashes a cut in front of square for four. Woakes is back over the wicket at the moment and unleashes a bouncer that he bangs in so short it trampolines over Warner for a wide.

Warner is batting miles out of his crease but no one has targeted his splintered ribs yet.

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05:06 AM

OVER 13: AUS 15/1 (Warner 1 Labuschagne 10)

Here we go again. Robinson, after drinks, pushes his length up. Labuschagne claws one to mid-on, half brought forward. England post a short midwicket and short mid-off. The right-hander defends off front and back foot, yelling 'No run!' superfluously each time. Good over, threatening the stumps now.

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05:00 AM

OVER 12: AUS 15/1 (Warner 1 Labuschagne 10)

What a waste of time. All they had to do was check whether it pitched in line and get on with the game. Decent delivery from Woakes who is bowling well but again giving Warner too many to leave on length. Maiden. And that will be drinks.

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04:59 AM

NOT OUT

Third umpire says it's inconclusive whether he hit it first or it hit pad first. Wouldn't have mattered because it pitched outside leg. England lose their second review.

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04:55 AM

England review

Warner lbw b Woakes Did it pitch in line? Did he hit it?

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04:55 AM

OVER 11: AUS 15/1 (Warner 1 Labuschagne 10)

Robinson starts stiffly and Labuschagne works two into the onside. He burgles a second off the next ball, too, a direct hit would have swan him off but he was home by the time Buttler whipped off the bails from fine leg's throw.

Robinson is not touching 80mph yet but adjusts his line and length and squares Labuschagne up when one keeps low on the right-hander.

Pretty bowling so far from England but too few deliveries have threatened the stumps.

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04:50 AM

OVER 10: AUS 11/1 (Warner 1 Labuschagne 6)

First bowling change. It's 30C at Adelaide so four and five-over spells will be as much as these bowlers can manage. Chris Woakes begins with a maiden to Warner from round the wicket, which is a ploy he didn't use at the Gabba. Warner leaves on length but is surprised by one that climbs towards his gloves, fending it towards cover.

Double change. Enter Robinson.

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04:44 AM

OVER 9: AUS 11/1 (Warner 1 Labuschagne 6)

Labuschagne leaves a couple with his Norman Wisdom waddle and then is pinned on the oad by one that nips back but too high to hit the stumps. Anderson pitches up and the right-hander creams him through mid-off for four. It's all seam and no swing for England.

Warner gets off the mark when a firm push up the pitch squirts through Anderson's hand.

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04:41 AM

OVER 8: AUS 7/1 (Warner 0 Labuschagne 3)

Harris defends a couple on the front foot. Broad is drawing him forward deliberately then goes for the short one on the hip for the legside strangle. He has posted the leg gully for that stroke but Buttler got there first, Clark Kent style. What a grab!

Enter Labuschagne who screams 'No run!' after letting one through to the keeper first ball. He pushes the next past mid-on for three, though. He is so well organised.

Warner is all at sea but survives a review when pinned in the goolies by the one that nips back at him via, Broad believes, an inside-edge.

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04:39 AM

NOT OUT

No inside edge. It hit him in the box and the leg-before secondary appeal was too high.

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04:39 AM

England review

Warner c Root b Broad

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04:33 AM

Wicket!!!

Harris c Buttler b Broad 3 A world-class catch from Buttler off a hook that caught the edge. He leapt headlong to his left and clung on. An absolute blinder from the vice-captain. Brilliant footwork. FOW 4/1

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04:31 AM

OVER 7: AUS 4/0 (Harris 3 Warner 0)

Anderson keeps probing at Warner, giving him no opportunity to free his arms, tucking him up with straight, back of a length ones and targeting the outside edge with his stock delivery. Warner wants that heartbeat suppressing single to get off the mark but Anderson defends the push past mid-off to stop him and then whooshes one past the openers edge to keep him on nought with a third maiden in four overs.

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04:28 AM

OVER 6: AUS 4/0 (Harris 3 Warner 0)

That was a fullish delivery from Broad too, hit him on the top sausage of the knee roll but it was still too high. LBWs in Australia are like hen's teeth for English seamers. Harris survives but is batting, understandably, very sketchily against very testing spells from both ends. Broad calls up a leg gully after Harris fiddles at one on his hip. Just a no-ball to employ the scoreboard operator.

Broad' speed is up above 86mph.

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04:24 AM

NOT OUT

Did too much, it's missing leg-stump, climbing above the bails.

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04:23 AM

Australia review

Harris lbw b Broad Can only be height.

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04:22 AM

OVER 5: AUS 3/0 (Harris 3 Warner 0)

Anderson reels off another unplayable delivery, pitching middle, pitching and squaring Warner up as it whistled past the splice. He's laying the trap with the outswingers again but keeping his inswinger powder dry so far. All six follow the pattern.

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04:18 AM

OVER 4: AUS 3/0 (Harris 3 Warner 0)

Broad begins with exactly the same delivery to Harris as he bowled to Warner, nibbling it back in twice to strike Harris on the pads, once too high, the second time off a feather of an inside edge which wisely convinces England not to review it. He does appeal, though.

Harris leaves a couple outside off then claws a defensive to mid-on. No run. Good, tight start by England's greats so far.

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04:13 AM

OVER 3: AUS 3/0 (Harris 3 Warner 0)

Anderson continues where he left off with the ideal line to Harris, pitching on middle and searing away, almost tickling the edge as it climbs and moves away. Harris judges the next two better and doesn't spar at them and then Anderson strays wider. This is the set-up. When will the inswinger come?

It comes from the last ball of the over and Harris whips it off his pads for three down to long leg.

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04:09 AM

OVER 2: AUS 0/0 (Harris 0 Warner 0)

Stuart Broad begins round the wicket to Warner. Similar field to Anderson. Warner leaves the first one that zips in and crashes into Warner's thighpad. Too high but Warner misread that entirely.

He goes for another big inswinger but pushes this one too straight and it tails down the legside. Warner digs out the full one back up the pitch, skitters as if to nick a single and Broad shadowboxes a throw back at the stumps to keep him honest.

Fox treats us to Shane Warne straight up and nothing said 12,000 miles away during the first Test has altered his approach. Broad draws Warner forward twice and he's itching to get away but sharp fielding means he can't and putting a man out for the pull keeps him worrying about the one angling into his tender ribs.

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04:04 AM

OVER 1: AUS 0/0 (Harris 0 Warner 0)

Anderson has three slips and a gully, a shortish point and wide mid-off. The first ball is a loosener that moves away outside off. Anderson grimaces but he follows up with a beauty that threatens to kiss the shoulder of Harris's bat as it hoops away from just back of a length.

Harris defends a couple then leaves one that veers away. Anderson starts with a maiden meaning it's Broad v Warner.

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04:00 AM

David Warner and Marcus Harris stride to the middle

Looks a good batting pitch, with 8mm of grass on this drop-in. Warner is heavily strapped and padded after bruising his ribs. Jimmy Anderson has the new ball in his hands.

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03:54 AM

Tie for the national anthems

After the ringing of the Bradshaw Bell by Keith Bradshaw's famil. Stuart Broad, whose 150th Test appearance this will be, is wearing his Karate Kid headband.

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03:52 AM

Shades of Edgbaston 2005 when Glenn McGrath was ruled out

In all my Test cricket watching life the thing I treasure most is a vivid memory of the scene while driving through Kings Heath to the ground on the first morning of the match, having spent the journey up morbidly revisiting the demoralising defeat at Lord’s. But as each car stuck at the lights simultaneously heard the radio bulletin informing us that Glenn McGrath had stepped on a ball and had been ruled out of the game, the line of traffic gently began to bounce in the manner of Trotters Independent Traders’ Reliant Regal Supervan a few minutes after Del-Boy and Rodney learnt that their Harrison marine chronometer had been bought for £6.2 million.

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03:40 AM

Steve Smith's record as captain v Joe Root

Is played five, won four, drawn one. His average as captain versus England is 137.40 as opposed to 54.48 when not in charge. Yikes. He didn't look quite right last week. Perhaps this is just the fillip he needs.

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03:35 AM

Dramatis personae

Australia David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith (capt), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Lyon.

England Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (capt), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (wk), Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

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03:34 AM

Steve Smith speaks

I really feel for Patty. It's a huge honour. I'll try and lead on from Patty did last week. It looks a standard Adelaide day-night pitch with plenty of grass on it. Cummins and Hazlewood are obviously big losses for us. They're world-class bowlers. But we're excited to see what Jhye and Michael can do.

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03:34 AM

Joe Root speaks

It looks a good surface. We would have batted. It looks a good surface but we get a new pink ball in our hand early. Could work in our favour.

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03:32 AM

Australia have won the toss

And will bat first.

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03:32 AM

From Pat Cummins

Gutted to miss this Test but really excited to see Neser finally get his chance in the baggy green. He has done the hard yards and is a seriously skilful player. Super frustrating but COVID has thrown us all some curve balls over the last couple of years. Will be cheering along!

— Pat Cummins (@patcummins30) December 16, 2021

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03:14 AM

Pat Cummins ruled out of second Test

He has been pinged as a close contract of someone who has tested positive for Covid. Michael Neser comes in and Steve Smith captains Australia for the first time since the sandpaper cheating scandal of 2018.

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04:45 PM

The latest on the weather

From the Australian Bureau of Meteorology: Sunny with zero per cent chance of rain. Sunny. Winds west to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h in the middle of the day then tending east to southeasterly in the evening and reaching 25 to 35 km/h about the hills and southern suburbs.

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04:39 PM

Sir Geoffrey Boycott's pre-match thoughts

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04:38 PM

Hello, good morning ...

… and welcome to coverage of day one of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval, once one of the top three grounds on the Test circuit with its Bradman and Chappell stands, the spires of St Peter's and the gorgeous walk there from the city centre, now a behemoth, an AFL ground with only a smidgen of the old charm. England have played 15 Tests there in the past 60 years, winning three - 1979, 1995 and 2011 - drawing four and losing eight, one of them, in 2006-07, the Test we never speak about, when they threw away a commanding position after superb innings from Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen to be diddled by Shane Warne on day five.

It's difficult to be optimistic, though over the past 10 years they have confounded us before when all seemed lost on the road: at Colombo in 2012, at Mumbai and Kolkata the following winter, at Cape Town in 2020 and to go 1-0 up against India at Chennai in February (when all seemed lost before a ball had been bowled in the series). But these comebacks, fairly common after a cold start in home Tests, are sporadic on the road and seldom come in Australia. Morale boosting victories in 1994-95, 1998-99 and 2002-03 were achieved when the series was either lost or unwinnable, too much, too little, too late. We have to go back, as we were pondering last week, to Len Hutton and the 1954-55 tour for the type of turnaround that England need.

Is there anything in their favour? Well, in spite of Australia winning all eight of their day-night Tests at home and England losing all three of theirs - at Adelaide, Auckland and Ahmedabad (AAA is the cipher of the beast for Joe Root's side) by massive margins (120 runs, an innings and 49 runs and 10 wickets respectively) - England seem pretty confident that they can fight back. They maintain that they are slow starters and toady, with a maiden Test in Australian conditions under the belts of Haseeb Hameed, Rory Burns, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood and Jack Leach, they are now fully acclimatised and ready.

Hope lies in the absence of Josh Hazlewood, in this writer's opinion the best Test new-ball bowler around, some soreness affecting David Warner and what England managed to do to Marcus Harris, Steve Smith, Cameron Green and Alex Carey when they were batting. To have any realistic chance, though, they need to post a proper first innings score, whether batting first or second, and that means two substantial partnerships. They also need to field better - hold every chance, take every run-out opportunity (and there were almost half a dozen in Australia's first innings) and squeeze in the infield to dry up the runs.

On the other hand Jhye Richardson could slot right back into the groove after two years out and England could rehabilitate the Test career of one of the batsmen whose cap is hanging on a shoogly peg as they have done in the past for Andrew Symonds, Brad Haddin, Matthew Wade, the Marsh brothers, Usman Khawaja and Shane Watson.

As ever watching England abroad it's a voyage of discovery rather than belief as we head for the daylight, but then again, there's always hope:
Star of faith the dark adorning,
All through the night;
Leads us fearless toward the morning,
All through the night.

Join us for the toss at 3.30am