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England resume after drinks - Anya Shrubsole has ball in hand, but Ellyse Perry - who I can't remember giving a chance, or even hitting the ball in the air - cuts a single down to third man. McGrath, who's taken more risks than her partner, rotates the strike.

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Just a Perry single from Marsh's over, and England have at least earned the respite of some drinks. Australia lead by 47, and we're halfway through the day's play.

Isa Guha
Ex-England seamer on BBC Test Match Special

England's strategy seems to be to get McGrath on strike and bowl as many balls as possible at her. They tried Katherine Brunt to Perry from the Fig Tree End where she got a bit more bounce, but Perry was able to negotiate that. The spinners aren't getting much turn.

Image source, Getty Images

Perry drills Shrubsole back past the bowler and jogs through for a single. England so desperately need a wicket - but you just can't see where it's coming from.

The floodlights are coming on, with about an hour and five minutes to go before the dinner break. Laura Marsh returns to the attack, with a short leg in place - the Kent off-spinner sends down a maiden, she has 2-61 from 33 overs.

Isa Guha
Ex-England seamer on BBC Test Match Special

The game has meandered into a situation where England are just trying to contain. It's not really the sort of pitch where you can eke out wickets - it's not doing a lot for the seamers or the spinners, the ball is 54 overs old and it's really tough for them. But credit to the Aussies, they've made the girls pay.

Perry guides Shrubsole for a single to bring up the 50 partnership from 114 deliveries - while McGrath finds the extra cover boundary with another flashing drive.

If the game was in the balance at the start of play this morning, it's overwhelmingly in Australia's favour now.

Ecclestone goes round the wicket, but England still don't look like taking a wicket as that drop from earlier continues to prove costly.

England turn back to Anya Shrubsole for another burst. Australia have another hour and 15 minutes or so until the dinner break - and could be nearly out of sight by then, even going along at three an over.

it's a defensive field for Perry - with only three fielders inside the "circle" that would be in place if it were a limited-overs game - and Perry is content to take singles at will. This pair have added 48 - and McGrath, dropped on nought, has 24 of those.

Charles Dagnall
BBC Test Match Special

It's like shelling peas for Australia at the moment. All a little bit lifeless.

Ecclestone spins down a maiden to McGrath as the two debutants lock horns again.

Isa Guha
Ex-England seamer on BBC Test Match Special

We were just asking on television, who would play Charlotte Edwards in a biopic. Quick as a flash, [ex-Australia star] Belinda Clark suggested Dame Judi Dench.

Charles Dagnall adds: That's a little harsh from Belinda - though I think Charlotte herself will be a Dame before long.

A round of applause in the TMS box as Perry moves to 132, surpassing Mel Jones' aforementioned 131 - Brunt is giving it everything but gets no assistance from the pitch as she tries a bouncer, which McGrath pulls for a single. Perry pushes the ball back to the bowler and Brunt angrily hurls the ball back at the stumps. Australia are through 130 overs - there won't be many occasions where the England players will have spent this long in the field.

Ecclestone beats McGrath outside off stump - Charles Dagnall on TMS thinks these two could be playing against each other in international cricket for a long while to come.

Stuart: The difference between England and Australia in this women's Ashes series has been their fielding. Too many misfields and dropped catches.

McGrath remains the aggressor for Australia, driving and cutting with alacrity. Meanwhile, with Perry already having overtaken TMS summariser Lisa Sthalekar's Test-best score of 120 not out, she's now drawn level with Mel Jones' 131 at Guildford in 1998.

The all-time Australian record to aim for is quite a way off - Karen Rolton's unbeaten 209 against England at Headingley in 2001.

Australia continue to plod along at one run an over, but with the onus on England to win the game to keep the series alive, there's no pressure on the hosts.

Charles Dagnall
BBC Test Match Special

We're in a complete flip-flop from yesterday. Australia can dictate terms - how they want to bat, how long they want to bat, and whether they want to declare and have a bowl tonight.