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

I wonder whether the extra pace of Cummins and Hazlewood would work in the batsman's favour. The lack of pace did for some of the Australian batsmen.

The old adage is Cook is in good touch when he plays well straight. Well there's a very good sign for England fans as the opener punches it gorgeously down the ground, only a fine Warner dive preventing a boundary and keeping it to two.

That's even better! Cook unfurling the lesser-spotted cover drive to batter Cummins away to the fence.

A couple of stoic defensive strokes to finish. Lovely stuff.

Nathan Lyon wheels away, Mark Stoneman pushing into off for one, before Alastair Cook works it into gap to rotate the strike once more.

Not much menace from Lyon yet, but he's secured the favour of the crowd, earlier returning the beach ball that umpire Ravi had been clutching...

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"Not sure about this new ball you've selected Steve..."

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Cummins goes round the wicket to Stoneman, starting with three dots before the Surrey opener dabs it away for one.

Cook plays out the rest of a tidy over first up from Cummins.

All change for Australia as Pat Cummins is on to replace Josh Hazlewood...

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

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Alastair Cook has now played 34 Ashes Tests in a row and that is a record for England. Wally Hammond played 33.

The record for Australia is 44 by Allan Border.

Lyon goes round the wicket to the two England left-handers - Stoneman working it behind square for one, before Cook flicks off his pads for a single.

A few dots follow, with Stoneman driving the last to add another run to the total.

A huge cheer from the Richies signals Nathan Lyon entering the fray...

Can the off-spinner make an early breakthrough for the hosts?

Graham RB: Memo to English batsmen: a lot of wickets have fallen to cross bat shots on this pitch. Cut it out!

Josh Withers: Just got a feeling this could be Cook's day, pitches that lack pace suit him.

David Kerry: The rest of the England batting line up aside, Stoneman can come out of this series with his reputation largely intact up top.

Cook pushes into off for a single, before Stoneman does the same.

Hazlewood at Cook, who fends it away through the covers for no run. A cut shot follows but Lyon makes a fine diving stop at point.

A short and straight one allows Cook to get into a great position and swivel it away to the fence. Fine to play the pull shot to those - that was very short from Hazlewood and sat up invitingly.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Melbourne

It's hot enough to melt tarmac. Plenty of those with seats in the sunshine have retreated to shade. Those who haven't have my sympathy and admiration. The queues at the water fountain are longer than those at the bar. Even in the shade at the very top of the stand it feels like a sauna. What must it be like in the middle?

Both England openers have been guilty of playing the pull shot to balls that are keeping low - Stoneman is the latest to get himself in a spot of bother. No calamity so far, but they need to be careful. Straight-bat shots look to be the way to go on this pitch.

A straight drive is cut off and that's a maiden for Bird.

Chris Solman: Even though Australia were expected to get 500+ after day one, I’ve been burnt too many times this series to get my hopes up! Their attack will still be very dangerous on this pitch.

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Cook will not shelve the pull shot - again he goes at a short one somewhat unconvincingly, slicing it away for one in front of square leg.

Stoneman gets on top of the last delivery and pulls it away for a single.

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

Jackson Bird's two previous Ashes wickets were Alastair Cook and James Anderson, at Durham in 2013.

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Shot! Bird round the wicket and Stoneman drives him away through the covers to the boundary.

The next slides way down leg and is called a no-ball as Bird oversteps. Meanwhile, umpire Ravi is currently cradling a beach ball that has got onto the field at square leg.

Stoneman ducks under a bouncer. A few dots to finish the over.

Nathan Lyon escorts the aforementioned beach ball off the field, chucking it back to the Richies, to a huge cheer.

Stoneman tries to pull Hazlewood, plays all around it and is fortunate to see the ball just drop harmlessly off his chest. Perhaps best to shelve that shot.

A tuck off his pads brings Stoneman two to get off the mark.

Hazlewood charges in and Stoneman backs away milliseconds before the Aussie released it - a butterfly flew into Stonema's eyeline and spooked the England opener. Dead ball.

That won't improve Hazlewood's mood - Stoneman driving through the covers for three.

And that will have Hazlewood spitting - Cook working a straight ball off his pads and away to the fence. Gorgeous, vintage Cook that.

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Jackson Bird is very similar in style to an early-career Chris Woakes with the speeds he bowls and the fact he tries to shape the ball away from you.

And Bird's first delivery is...79mph. Perhaps proving James Anderson right. It's a very good ball though, nipping back into Cook, who inside edges it into his pads amidst a strangled appeal for lbw.

Bird drops short and Cook mistimes a fairly ugly pull shot at it - this is not the pitch to be playing that shot on.

A straight drive is better, but Pat Cummins dives well to prevent the run. Cook pushes to mid-off to finish and it's a maiden for Bird to start.