Australia coach Darren Lehmann, speaking to BT Sport: "You always miss a bowler like Mitchell Starc.

"Some of the guys have been ill. Someone has been cooking dodgy curry - maybe that's me as I'm a terrible cook. But the lads are fine and won't be using illness as an excuse.

"We're disappointed with the way we batted yesterday, collapsing like we did and we've got some work to do now."

If you think it's too little too late from England, former skipper Michael Vaughan has a message to those who might not think much of Alastair Cook's marathon knock...

So what camp do you fall into?

1. Well done to England for bouncing back and showing pride in their performance, even though the Ashes have gone.

2. Where were these performances from Alastair Cook, Stuart Broad and Joe Root when they were really needed?

Whichever it is, there is now a very good chance the 5-0 whitewash might be avoided.

A rare good day for England. Here's how it has gone:

• England resumed on 192-2 with Alastair Cook and Joe Root at the crease.
• Root got the one run he needed to pass 50 but was out for 61.
• Dawid Malan (14), Jonny Bairstow (22), Moeen Ali (20), Chris Woakes (26) and Tom Curran (4) are also dismissed.
• Stuart Broad gives Cook more sustained support with a knock of 56.
• Cook reaches 244 not out by the end of play with James Anderson on zero as England reach 491-9 by the close and a lead of 164 runs.

Image source, Reuters

And with that my four-hour stint on this live text comes to an end.

Not complaining at all - it's been an absolute pleasure to watch Alastair Cook bat.

Here's Mandeep Sanghera to guide you through more recaps and reaction.

There's also a full report of day three available here.

Here are some of the records that Alastair Cook racked up today:

• First England player to make 11 scores of 150+
• Highest score by a visiting batsman at the MCG, beating Viv Richards' 208
• Moved up to 6th all-time Test run-scorer, surpassing West Indies duo Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Brian Lara on day three
• Highest personal score in Australia, overtaking his 235 not out in Brisbane in 2010

Australia coach Darren Lehmann, speaking to BT Sport: "Cook was fantastic, the way he concentrated for the whole day.

"We created some opportunities but didn't take them and that's the key in Test match cricket on these pitches.

"I'd like a little bit more bounce, especially for against the England tail. If we have that, they don't get the scores they have.

"But full credit to them, they've played really well, all of them chipped in and batted around Cook, who is an absolute superstar."

Image source, Getty Images

Stuart Broad, who made 56, speaking to BT Sport: "Cooky said not to look too far ahead and just get five runs at a time - it's helpful for the lower order just breaking it down like that.

"I didn't want to take him out of his comfort zone, not trying to cause chaos and outscore each other.

"It was good fun and helpful to share the strike. When you get pressure on you as a lower order batsman having to face six balls from the same bowler, it's good to rotate the strike."

To move away briefly from Alastair Cook, huge credit must go to Stuart Broad too.

His well-known weakness playing the short ball has caused him plenty of problems throughout the series and did again as he was hit in the throat by Josh Hazlewood early on today.

But he started to play a few nicely and grew in confidence as Australia grew ragged, eventually flaying the bowlers around to all corners.

His contribution ended on 56, when Usman Khawaja took a diving catch that wasn't clear - the ball may have scraped the ground after popping out of his hands but there was not enough evidence to overturn the soft signal of out on the field.

It will add to the scrutiny over the umpires in this Test - after missing Dawid Malan's inside edge onto pads when giving him out lbw. Although Malan missed it too and decided not to review.

Regardless, Broad played a blinder.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

It has been one of Alastair Cook's best innings because I have not seen him hit the ball down the ground so hard. Whether it is the pitch or the absence of Mitchell Starc only he can answer.

From the minute Cook walked out he played good strokes and his bat has looked very wide. He played with the strength of mind we know he has got.

His mind has always been his strength but what impressed me is the technical attacking ability rather than looking to survive. It just shows, no matter how many games you play, you do lose confidence.

...an Alastair Cook masterclass, basically. The opener converted his unbeaten 104 into 244 not out to help England reach 491-9 at the close, a lead of 164.

He was dropped on 153 by Steve Smith, the same man who spilled him on 66 yesterday, but otherwise it was pretty much flawless. Those tucks, cuts and pulls accentuated with some delicious drives down the ground.

At the other end, Joe Root looked good. Then Joe Root got out without converting his start - pulling a short ball to Nathan Lyon who was set back for that exact shot.

Dawid Malan got in but was given out lbw and didn't review when replayed showed he'd edged it into his pads.

Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes all got starts but couldn't kick on and England were wobbling a tad at 366-7, leading by 39.

Tom Curran came and went before Stuart Broad arrived. At first he chanced his arm and then started flaying a tired Aussie attack around the park, putting on a vital 100 partnership with Cook before he was controversially out, caught (or maybe not) by Usman Khawaja.

But still Cook remained, becoming the sixth highest run-scorer in Test history and hitting the highest score by a visiting batsman at the MCG. Well played that man.

Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

England are overwhelming favourites to go on and win the game now. They are in a terrific position and their bowling attack is better suited to bowling on this pitch than Australia's.

More from Alastair Cook on BT Sport: "Last night it was relief. Today I was quite proud that I came back, got in again and dug deep to get a big one. When you get a chance to get in on a flat wicket, you want to make it a big one."

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

A lot of fans are saying why didn't England produce when it really counted but they didn't because they weren't able to.

What we want to see from England is pride in performance and that is what we have seen in the first three days here.

It has been a group of individuals desperate to see England finish with a positive. The Ashes will stay in Australia but you can still gain something.

Image source, Getty Images

For those irked by the timing of Cook's double ton after the Ashes have already been lost - there is no doubt he desperately wanted to find this form back in November.

For now, let us just enjoy this knock, it's been a belter and has put England in a really strong position to win the Test.

RPU: It’s a bit like an under-fire centre-forward coming on to score a late hat-trick when your team are already 6-0 down but it’s always good to see Alastair Cook have a great knock.

Glenn Norris: It's important to win these last two Tests to cheapen the win for the Aussies, just as they did for us last series. Give them something to think about next time

Ray Pearson: TOO LATE!!!!! The Australians are just taking it easy!!

Image source, AFP

England's Alastair Cook on BT Sport: "Last night it ranked right up there, because it was a kind of feeling like last-chance saloon. When you're in those positions and you dig yourself out, it makes you proud.

"Those doubts are always there and they've been beating me up for four or five weeks. But I know I've done it before."