Summary

  • England reach close with a lead of seven runs

  • Australia's fast bowlers intimidate in final session

  • 'Like Thomson & Lillee all over again' - Tufnell on TMS

  • Cook & Vince out; Root hit on helmet by Starc bouncer

  • Australia 328 all out - Smith 141 not out

Live Reporting

Amy Lofthouse and Jack Skelton

  1. So here's where this gripping Test stands - England lead by seven runs with eight wickets remaining in their second innings.

    Advantage Australia you'd say, especially because their quicks looked to be firing like they didn't in the first innings during those final 16 overs of the day.

    That was a stern test for England. Alastair Cook and James Vince failed it.

    But hope in the form of Mark Stoneman and Joe Root, who held on brilliantly at a hostile Gabba.

  2. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    England have survived that storm to the extent of losing two wickets. It could have been more. Joe Root was hit on the head. It's been exhausting watching that. Australia came out with the intention of hitting England hard and Mark Stoneman and Root have played very well.

  3. Close of play - Eng 33-2

    Lead by 7

    Joe Root carefully defends the first three deliveries, before clipping the fourth round the corner for a single.

    The left-handed Mark Stoneman to face - ooft, Nathan Lyon finds the outside edge but it's straight down and runs away for a single.

    Last ball - Lyon to Root. And it's a poor one, sliding well down leg and allowing the England skipper to leave well alone.

    And breathe. That's stumps.

  4. Should be the last over of the day and it's Nathan Lyon to bowl it.

    The Aussies will have talked about grabbing two early wickets before the close in this huddle. Three would be dreamland.

    AshesGetty Images

  5. Eng 31-2

    Lead by 5

    Dawid Malan languidly reclines in the dressing room, exuding calm, but his guts will be churning inside.

    Cummins spits fire at Root before the England skipper knocks a length ball away for one.

    The Aussie quick lines up Stoneman again but the England opener gets in behind defiantly.

  6. Get Involved

    #bbccricket

    Ben Stone: Huge test of character for Mark Stoneman. Be there tomorrow!!

  7. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    It's gripping cricket. These two fighting for their lives. The Aussies would love one more tonight.

    Mark StonemanPA

  8. Eng 30-2

    Root clips off his pads to put Stoneman on strike to Lyon. The opener might want to just block these next five balls and let his skipper face Cummins next over.

    Lyon is dangerous too, mind, ripping a pearler past the outside edge. Groans from the Aussies round the bat.

    Eek, Stoneman misreads an arm ball and leaves it as it agonisingly whistles just past off stump.

    Oh crikey, he nearly knocks the last to a waiting fielder in close. Survival time for Stoneman. Gripping stuff.

  9. Phil Tufnell
    Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Thomson & LilleeGetty Images

    This is Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson stuff. Pat Cummins is steaming in. He has hit a perfect length a couple of times. It is not bouncer length but just short of that when it just climbs into you. Well done Mark Stoneman.

  10. Eng 29-2

    Dearie me, Pat Cummins is sending down some serious venom.

    Perfect length on the short ball at vicious pace and Mark Stoneman somehow gets his hands high enough to fend off one honing straight in at his nose.

    An unconventional stroke but he did so well there not to pop it up to short leg.

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  12. Eng 29-2

    Lead by 3

    More turn for Lyon, turn that Moeen never found. This one bites past the outside edge of Stoneman's bat.

    Too straight to finish and Stoneman clips it away to the long boundary, England picking up three and into the lead.

    Effectively 3-2 to use the cricket cliche.

  13. Eng 26-2

    Scores level

    Lyon comes round the wicket to Root - turn straight away and England's skipper does well to rock back and punch it away.

    Short ball next up and Root swivels it away for a single.

    The scores are level. Fascinating to see how this Test develops from here.

  14. Phil Tufnell
    Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    No more tonight please. If England lose anymore tonight they are in T-r-o-u-b-l-e.

  15. Nathan Lyon to enter the fray.

    The off-spinner bowled really well in the first innings. Can 'Garry' pile on the misery for England?

  16. Pint-sized TMS

    It's been Australia's day, that's for sure. Here's Steve Smith bringing up his century earlier, courtesy of Pint-Sized TMS.

  17. Eng 25-2

    Stoneman 15, Root 1

    Pat Cummins, no doubt buoyed by his vital 42 in Australia's innings, bends his back and fires down at Mark Stoneman.

    The Surrey man drops his hands and steers well clear, before getting bat on ball a couple of times, playing the short stuff well so far.

    Maiden to start for Cummins, bowling at decent lick in the high 80s.

  18. Eng 25-2

    Trail by 1

    Tidy stuff from Josh Hazlewood, allowing just a single to Mark Stoneman off the over.

    But here comes Pat Cummins for the first time this innings...

  19. Phil Tufnell
    Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    What a game Test cricket is. England had Australia at 209-7 and looking at a lead and now here we are with England hanging on.

    Alastair CookPA

  20. If you're just joining us...

    Welcome to those of you who selected 07:00 for your alarm.

    England under immense pressure here - Cook and Vince back in the hutch, after Australia built a slender first-innings lead of 26.

    How did the hosts get there? Steve Smith basically. The skipper with a marvellous, nuggety unbeaten century. His 21st and slowest in Test cricket.

    England had a great morning - reducing Australia to 213-7 at lunch but Smith, ably supported by Pat Cummins' 42, dragged his side up to parity and beyond.

    The tourists finally bowled out Australia for 328 but the home quicks have been fired up in response - Alastair Cook caught out hooking and James Vince edging to second slip.

    Can Joe Root emulate his counterpart? Don't go anywhere...

    Joe RootEPA