Summary

  • Australia win Ashes

  • Hosts take 3-0 lead in five-Test series

  • Victory sealed before tea on final day

  • Malan 54; Hazlewood 5-48

  • 'Damp patches' delay start by 3 hrs

  • Rain leaks through covers overnight

Live Reporting

Tom Rostance, Amy Lofthouse and Mandeep Sanghera

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

    They're not going to lose too many overs. There's still a lot of time in the day.

  2. Play set to start at 04:40 GMT
    Breaking

    We are now hearing that an early lunch which will be taken to allow groundstaff to work on the pitch, with play due to start at 04:40 GMT.

    You've got just under an hour to have a snooze.

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

    It's amazing that whenever there's a damp patch on the pitch, it's always on a good length! I

  4. Dan Norcross
    BBC Test Match Special

    This has been a bit shambolic.

  5. Joe Root is now talking to Marais Erasmus...

  6. Michael Vaughan
    Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    Look at them! There's four groundstaff out there on their hands and knees with the hoovers! How can they play?

  7. Get Involved

    #bbccricket

    Seb Rule: As a man with tickets to Melbourne and Sydney this is more exciting than being a child waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve.

  8. Genuinely gripped by this?

    We have 25% more people reading than 90 minutes ago!

  9. Dan Norcross
    BBC Test Match Special

    Marais Erasmus has a consoling hand on Smith's shoulder. Joe Root still has a furrowed brow.

  10. Michael Vaughan
    Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    Marais Erasmus has just called over Steve Smith. I reckon they'll change this. I don't think we'll start at 12.

  11. Michael Vaughan
    Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    You can't make a decision to say this pitch is fit to play Test match cricket, and still be on your hands and knees with the leaf blowers. Whenever those blowers are out there's no way you can make a decision that it is fit to play on.

  12. The umpires have summoned Steve Smith...

  13. Michael Vaughan
    Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    This is about how those two batsmen mentally cope with this delay. I have noticed Bairstow and Malan haven't been out there to have a look.

    I think they've been in the dressing room, mentally preparing, because they know it's down to those two. They have to bat deep if England are going to save this.

  14. Get Involved

    Text 81111

    We need two slow tons from Malan and Bairstow ... BTW ... if your text number was 81118 it'd look like two portly umpires standing over a set of stumps!

    KH, London

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

    If the roles were reversed, I'm sure Steve Smith would be exactly the same as Joe Root. But if they're still trying to dry the pitch now, then maybe it isn't ready to go.

  16. Today's proposed schedule of play

    Play to start at 04:00 GMT, with lunch at 05:00.

    Then a session from 05:40 - 07:40, and then after tea it will be 02:00 - 10:00.

    Clear?

  17. The Australia players are out, in full whites. They are obviously ready to get play under way...

  18. Michael Vaughan
    Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    How can the umpires have decided it's fit to play, and the leaf blowers are still going? It's either fit to play, or it isn't.

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

    That first ball is going to be pretty interesting...

    If the first ball lands and does something, England have every right to ask what is going on.

  20. 'Unfair to start now'

    Michael Vaughan
    Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    The groundsmen have been walking all over the surface. You can't tell me you can guarantee that pitch hasn't changed. I think it's unfair to start now.