Summary

  • Smith 92*, S Marsh 7*

  • England drop three catches

  • Two wickets for injured Overton

  • Khawaja 50, Bancroft 25, Warner 22

  • England slip from 368-4 to 403 all out

  • Malan 140, Bairstow 119; Starc 4-91

  • Australia lead 2-0 in five-Test series

  1. Aus 145-2published at 43 overs

    Anderson goes full and straight to Steve Smith, who avoids yorking himself before he thumps a drive straight back at the bowler. He's middling everything, and to prove the point, he plants his foot down the wicket and drives Anderson through the covers for a sumptuous boundary. Anderson, as you'd imagine, looks thrilled as he gets his cap back off the umpire.

  2. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:36 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    #bbccricket or 81111

    I’m almost impressed by the England batsmen for their sheer consistency. We definitely have the most consistent batting line-up in world cricket at the moment. If only that was in scoring runs rather than collapsing....

    Francesca

  3. Postpublished at 08:34 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    These guys appear to be holding it together pretty well. We saw them just after the start of play at 02:30, with Ali Mitchell trying to explain gamely to Geoffrey Boycott who Super Mario is...

    FansImage source, Getty Images
  4. Aus 141-2published at 42 overs

    Shot! That's better from Khawaja, leaning back to meet a wide delivery from Chris Woakes and cracking it past point for a boundary. Woakes bends his back in responds and there's a whirl of the wrists from Khawaja to jab his bat down and keep the ball away from his midriff.

  5. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:30 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    #bbccricket or 81111

    Dan Armstrong: Submitting my History PhD applications whilst listening to BBC TMS describe Craig Overton knock over the Aussie top-order. There are definitely worse ways to spend a Friday morning.

  6. Aus 136-2published at 41 overs

    Ooh. There's a touch of swing there for James Anderson as Usman Khawaja presses forward and the ball just slides past the outside edge of the bat. Khawaja puffs out his cheeks and stares at the wicket while Anderson glares at him. Steve Smith takes the opportunity at the end of the over to have a quick word with his mate, although Khawaja looks incredibly relaxed out there.

    Usman Khawaja and Steve SmithImage source, Getty Images
  7. Postpublished at 08:26 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Graeme Swann
    Ex-England spinner on BBC Radio 5 live

    They've gone for the straight option and it's not worked. Steve Smith's cruised to 50. A very aesthetically pleasing 50. He's not been troubled at all.

    His technique just does not work against a swinging ball.

  8. Aus 136-2published at 40 overs

    There's a lot going on when Smith bats. Arms, legs, elbow, bat. They're all over the show. It's so strange when you first see it but he's made it so effective for himself.

    Still some decent pace and carry in this wicket, as Chris Woakes gets one to shape over Smith's stumps, but Smith's having none of it. He leaves it well alone, and Woakes trundles his way through a maiden.

  9. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:22 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    #bbccricket

    John Dunthorne: Joe Root is not showing the leadership that England need. Terrible lack of concentration.

  10. Vote for your favourite Ashes tour momentpublished at 08:21 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Elton JohnImage source, Getty Images

    Do you have a favourite moment from England's Ashes tours?

    BBC Sport has looked back through the archives and picked 12 of the most iconic in Australia.

    Your task is simple: pick your favourite by clicking here.

    Was it England's party with Elton John as DJ in 1986? Or perhaps Steve Harmison's wide to second slip with the first ball of 2006-07 sticks in your memory?

    The vote ends at 12:00 GMT today, so be quick.

    Steve HarmisonImage source, Getty Images
  11. Aus 136-2published at 39 overs

    Trail by 267

    Smith is remarkable. He's made 19 of his 21 centuries in the first innings of a Test. That's a genuine statement of intent. He's got a much better conversion rate than Root, too.

    Usman Khawaja, meanwhile, looks fidgety, and not in the Steve Smith sort of way. He cracks a drive towards a fielder before he gets squared up by James Anderson. He crosses his wrists and defends while Smith prods and pokes the ground.

  12. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:20 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    tms@bbc.co.uk

    The fact the England have put up a competitive total and I’m following the match in detail is giving me something to do during the typhoon we are in, on the small Philippine island of Siargao. Charging my phone every time the power comes back on for a bit. Come on.

    James Casey

  13. Postpublished at 08:18 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Graeme Swann
    Ex-England spinner on BBC Radio 5 live

    Smith's technique against a ball that's not moving laterally is unbelievably effective. It's brilliant.

  14. 50 runs

    50 for Smithpublished at 38 overs

    Aus 136-2

    Steve Smith looks bang in the mood for this.

    He rifles another cover drive away to the boundary to reach his half-century. Apart from that one ball by Craig Overton on the stroke of tea, he's looked utterly untroubled. He's got to 50 in 58 balls as well.

    Steve SmithImage source, EPA
  15. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:15 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    #bbccricket or 81111

    Dave W: Root's sunglasses have red lenses. The ball is red. So won't everything had a red cast to it, making the ball harder to pick up (red ball against a reddish background?)

  16. Postpublished at 08:14 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Graeme Swann
    Ex-England spinner on BBC Radio 5 live

    I can't understand why Joe Root hasn't seen it at all. You can only imagine that he wasn't expecting the edge because when you see them you pick them up. I just can't put my finger on it.

    Joe RootImage source, Reuters
  17. Aus 131-2published at 37 overs

    Dropped on 0, a chance goes begging on 32... Usman Khawaja's had some luck on his side today. He gets to face James Anderson and is promptly rapped on the chest for his troubles. He drops his hands and taps a single away.

  18. Postpublished at 08:11 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Graeme Swann
    Ex-England spinner on BBC Radio 5 live

    That was a strange one. If you were going to win the Ashes you have to win this Test match, you have to take your chances. This was a gilt-edged chance.

  19. Postpublished at 08:11 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    That was very odd. It was like Root wasn't paying attention.

  20. Postpublished at 08:10 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2017

    Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    Woakes did everything right. But Root didn't even touch it.