Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

A few landmarks...

• Alastair Cook is the first England opener to carry his bat since Michael Atherton at Christchurch in 1997
• He is the first opener to carry his bat in an England-Australia Test since Geoffrey Boycott at Perth in 1979
• He is the first opener to carry his bat in a Test at the MCG
• His 244 not out is the highest score by an opener carrying his bat, beating New Zealander Glenn Turner's unbeaten 223 in 1972

Image source, Getty Images

I'll just go through a couple of formalities.

That scalp for Pat Cummins means he finishes with 4-117. Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon end with three wickets. Jackson Bird, Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh finish wicketless.

Image source, Getty Images

James Vicary: Well that was fun...

Robert Entwistle: Too easy this for Cook. He didn't face a ball and yet he's broke another record today.

Greg: The only surprising thing is that the umpire didn’t give Jimmy out lbw there rather than caught.

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

It messes the Australian batsmen up a little bit - they only have 10 minutes to get ready rather than all morning.

I don't think I have seen that before - an innings end after one ball of play. If I am missing an obvious example do let me know.

Alastair Cook did not have to do anything there. Just walk to the middle, stand at the non-striker's end and then turn around and walk off. He gets another standing ovation from the crowd for his 244 not out.

There are now a few spots of rain on the camera lens although there is blue sky over half of the ground.

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

I'm actually very happy with what has happened. I want England bowling in these conditions and I'm glad Jimmy was out because I wanted Alastair Cook to carry his bat.

Play is imminent. The groundstaff are still lingering around after a bit of drizzle this morning but the players have stepped over the boundary rope and are on their way to the middle.

James Anderson will be on strike for the first ball today.

England pace bowler Pat Cummins, who has 3-117, on TMS: "I don't think we can be too open when we bat. For us to send them back in and have a crack at winning this game, we'd have to score pretty quickly.

"The goal at the moment is about batting time. We're a little bit behind but the wicket's good and there's only two days left. The wickets is so true."

Image source, EPA

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Melbourne

Every morning, on the bridge from the city to the ground is a chap playing the bagpipes dressed as the Cookie Monster. This morning, Cookie was interrupted by a call, holding the phone to his monster mouth. I wonder if it's the same Cookie Monster that turns up to Tests in England?

Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

It is good to see members of the coaching team willing to half-criticise and be honest like Paul Collingwood has to Moeen, but I don't think Moeen's mind was a muddled mind. It was a clear one. He was just going to whack it.

It was man who said "look, I am struggling". The only question I would ask is would he have got more runs batting 'normally'?. It is a worry someone as good as he is has got into such a hole.

Image source, Getty Images

England batting coach Paul Collingwood, speaking to TMS, on Moeen Ali's 14-ball 20: "You see an innings like that and you see a slightly muddled mind. Over the past couple of years he has been one of our bigger players.

"He has decided he wants to go out there and be very aggressive, especially against Lyon. If you have an hour of Moeen Ali like that you could take the game away from Australia, but unfortunately we only got 20 minutes of it."

Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special commentator

The hessian matting is still on the pitch. I don't know for sure if play will start on time.

There are still covers on the pitch at the moment but there is some good news for England.

A moment ago Graeme Swann was looking very disgruntled under an umbrella being interviewed for TV but his umbrella has now been put down.

Hopefully play will start on time.

England batting coach Paul Collingwood, speaking to TMS, on the form of Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad: "It can be a really lonesome place to be when you're going through a bad run of form. But these guys have bounced back before and will do it in the future"

On the state of the game: "We're in a great position now but we haven't finished it off yet. If we can get this ball moving, we've seen that the Aussies struggle.

"It would be a great way to bounce back at the MCG, one of the biggest and hardest grounds to play at. The buys are really up for it - they're excited about the situation."

England batting coach Paul Collingwood, speaking to Test Match Special, on Alastair Cook: "It's been incredible. He's been disappointed with the form that he has had, and for him to bounce back the he has shown the resilience a skill he has. All those components that make you a good Test cricketer, he has got the min abundance.

"Probably the only thing he has changed is his bat. Sometimes you just need that little bit of luck - the dropped catch, playing and missing. He has proven again that you should never write him off because he's a legend of the game."

Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special commentator

There are one or two umbrellas around but most people are sat in their shorts and T-shirts.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Melbourne

Melbourne looking moody this morning. Like Gotham City.

Image source, BBC Sport

And now to today. It is a dark, muggy morning in Melbourne and the bad news for England is there are showers forecast.

The overhead conditions may suit England's swing bowlers when they have ball in hand but let's hope that rain stays away.

Cook's 244 not out is already the highest total by a visiting batsman at the MCG and the ground has wasted no time in updating their records.

Changes have already been made to a wall in a bar which has a list of the records held by away players at the venue...

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