Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

The game is in the balance. It's been a fascinating two days. England will be concerned they lost six wickets for not many runs on a pitch not doing very much.

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Australia were 76-4 and in a fair bit of bother when Shaun Marsh strode out to join Steve Smith at the crease.

But these two have steadied and then accumulated - an unbeaten stand of 89 ensuring this Test remains firmly in the balance, as it was at the end of day one.

Smith has looked imperious and Marsh has applied himself well under immense pressure surrounding his eighth recall to the side.

Huge credit to them - they forced England to go to plan B, then C and D and the tourists were found a tad wanting in that final hour.

A couple more quick wickets tomorrow - perfectly possible with James Anderson and Stuart Broad looking in fine form - will put England back on top. The wicket of Smith is crucial, if he stays around, it will be the hosts in control.

England now have four men catching on the drive, starting down Marsh, trying to nip him out before the close.

Make that five now as Broad sends down four dot balls.

A short leg is being brought in - the field resembling one you'd normally associate with a hat-trick delivery. A yorker follows but Marsh digs it out well.

Final ball of a cracking day two...and it's way down leg, Jonny Bairstow collects and that's that.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

There's a stat I've just seen which says Steve Smith has edged 8% of deliveries he's faced in his career. The global average is 14%. That means he's almost twice as good as everyone else.

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OK, last over of the day.

Stuart Broad to bowl.

Shaun Marsh to face.

Here we go...

Parth Mehta‏: This is a much more balanced and competitive Test than what had been predicted by all.

So Anderson's last chance to grab another wicket on day two.

All very tidy and accurate but Smith sees every delivery all the way, getting in behind to calmly play out a maiden.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

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You talk to any of the Australian greats at the ground working in the media - Ponting, McGrath, Warne, Fleming etc - and they all say that Marsh can play. They rate him highly - he just gets out in strange ways.

Broad bounds in, England setting the trap with two close catchers on the drive. Marsh not interested, calmly dabbing most of it back and leaving well on line.

A maiden. Two more overs in the day.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

England have to remember that Australia don't have Brad Haddin at number seven like last time. They have to put two wickets on to the score.

Not much to report as Anderson continues to run in as the shadows lengthen on the field in Brisbane.

A decent-looking drive from Marsh brings one after Smith steers a single into off.

Have England let this drift or have this Aussie pair batted very well to keep the tourists out? A little from column A and a little from column B.

Any chance of a last frisson of excitement before close of play? Well here comes Stuart Broad...

Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

The stadium is emptying quickly now - I imagine a few of the home fans want to get into position to watch tonight's Rugby League World Cup semi-final involving Australia and Fiji.

You can follow that here.

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Root to Marsh, who aims to cut a short ball, slightly mishits it with a thick outside edge, but enough on it to fly over slip and down through third man to the boundary.

All very sedate at the Gabba right now.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

You have to give Steve Smith credit. He realised when David Warner went that he had to graft. He usually scores quicker than this. Shaun Marsh has batted well too - I saw him in the nets the other day and he looked in fantastic form. Practice is not always an indicator of what will happen in the middle but Marsh played so well in the nets, I was left wondering how he doesn't score stacks of Test runs.

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Anderson continues but he can't find another pearler as Marsh picks up a single from the over.

The Lancashire paceman has still been the pick of England's bowlers, using all his guile and skill.

Chris Wilson‏: Steve Smith is totally comfortable, he’ll never get out. #mockers

...you've missed a belting day of Test cricket. But fear not, here's all you need to know...

Dawid Malan and Moeen Ali accumulated sensibly, then increasingly fluidly to put England in a degree of control, only for both to fall in quick succession, precipitating a collapse.

Some lusty blows from Stuart Broad took England up to 302 all out, however, and they took that momentum into the Australia innings, removing Cameron Bancroft and Usman Khawaja early.

After a brief lull, David Warner contrived to clip Jake Ball straight to short mid-wicket and James Anderson snared Peter Handscomb lbw.

But since then, it's been the Steve Smith show. The idiosyncratic Aussie captain rising to the occasion with aplomb, ably supported by the once again recalled Shaun Marsh.

Fairly docile first four balls before Root produces a belt that just holds up and beats Marsh's outside edge.

The number six knocks away the last for a single. Promising stuff from Root there.

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Joe Root is bringing himself on.

Golden arm from the captain?