Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

Joe Root has now made a half-century in 14 of his last 15 Test matches.

Root pats the final ball of the over away and then jogs away, some nervous energy brimming out of him. His conversion rate isn't the greatest but what a time to change that.

Ruth Brooksbank: Is it acceptable to cry on the train to work if Joe Root gets out? Asking for a friend.

50 for Rootpublished at 49.5 overs

49.5 overs

Under the lights, with the Barmy Army singing along, a purple-red sky hanging over the ground... it all adds to drama of it. And that is 50 for Joe Root, brought up with a cut through the slips for four. England need him to double that, and then some.

Image source, Getty Images

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

That was only the third time Pat Cummins has bowled a seven-over spell in his Test career.

Image source, Getty Images

Pat Cummins is off, and Mitch Starc is on. Steve Smith isn't the greatest at hiding how he's feeling. He's frustrated with himself after that drop.

Glenn McGrath
Ex-Australia pace bowler on BBC Test Match Special

It is so tough to catch those, but Steve Smith is really disappointed with himself there. He sets a very high standard for himself.

Malan dropped on 8published at 49 overs

49 overs

Eng 128-3

Steve Smith's dropped Dawid Malan! Nathan Lyon induces a healthy edge from Malan and it goes low to Steve Smith, who gets one hand to it and drops it. He had that! It was low, and it went quite quickly, but Smith, at slip, had a hand on that and he should have taken it, for my money. You're in that position for a reason. Lyon looks pained, but he whizzes through a fine maiden.

Image source, Reuters

Nathan Lyon's back into the attack. He's currently got the very tidy figures of 1-26.

Dan Norcross
BBC Test Match Special

Cummins is looking incredibly dangerous. It's scintillating cricket to watch.

Pat Cummins continues, and Dawid Malan has a little flirt at him. That's a fine delivery from Cummins, in to Malan's body, and it strikes him on the thigh before ricocheting off his gloves and then the back of the bat. Malan's gone into his shell but the most important thing is that he's still there. He's had some superb bowling to contend with, especially from Cummins. Malan goes for the hook but it's a tad wide from Cummins, and he ends up swatting at the night sky. Maiden.

Glenn McGrath
Ex-Australia pace bowler on BBC Test Match Special

I'm not a huge fan of the DRS. I like the raw emotion you get from taking a wicket. If it is then reviewed, everybody comes down. I'm happy to trust the umpires.

Josh Hazlewood will bowl to Joe Root after the break, and that's four. Hazlewood's trying to trap him on the crease again but it's a tad overpitched, and Root works his wrists to clip it away to the boundary. And again! Same ball, same result, and there's a shout of annoyance from Hazlewood. There's inswing for Hazlewood and Root chases a wider delivery and loses his shape.

Alan Lloyd: Four-day Tests anyone?

Ian Mitchell: How am I supposed to teach in these circumstances?!

Adrian Waddelove: Most exciting 9am lecture of the term...

Glenn McGrath
Ex-Australia pace bowler on BBC Test Match Special

Malan is lucky that it hit him more on the glove than the forearm. That could have been nasty. I don't know why more batsmen don't wear arm guards. It must be an ego thing.

A free-flowing cover drive from Dawid Malan brings him a boundary as Pat Cummins serves up a juicy full delivery. Cummins digs in a short ball in response and it whacks Malan on his gloves, right on the side of his hand. That'll be sore. Steve Smith immediately whacks in a short leg in the shape of Cameron Bancroft.

Malan plays deftly to drop the next few deliveries safely down, but another short ball rears up, getting right into Malan's grille, and he yanks his head out of the way at the last second.

That'll be drinks.

Image source, Reuters

Tom McQuillin: Trying to hide my celebrations at work while listening to that Joe Root review.

Charles Tilley: This is too tense.

Jerd: Getting funny looks at work after every decision making a grumble or a quiet cheer.

Nathan Lyon has gone off the pitch, although he seems fine so I assume it's a comfort break. Dawid Malan is on the Steve Smith scale of edgy at the minute, his head falling to the side as he tries desperately to work a single off his pads. Josh Hazlewood gifts him a few runs with a ball that trails on to his pads, and Malan gets a little tickle on it to help it away for four. A cover drive goes on the bounce to the fielder, which gets the crowd half-excited, before he bunts another full delivery away for one.

Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Do not give your wicket away. If there's one on your hip, knock it away for a single, but now is not the time to be flamboyant. If England don't lose another wicket tonight - and I'm sticking my neck out here - I fancy them to win.

This all feels horribly tense. Joe Root starts the over by knocking a full, inswinging delivery off his pads, before he presses forward and nearly lets the ball sneak onto the knee roll. Root swings his arms high above his head and keeps the bat out of the way of a few Cummins tempters, before a leading edge goes rolling towards gully. Root looks calm. Smith looks a touch fidgety. It's another maiden, though...