Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Melbourne

Something afoot in among the England fans. A policeman has just been presented with a Barmy Army T-shirt. He's now wearing it!

Image source, PA

Mike King: I don’t think that there has been any point during the Ashes when I’ve stayed up or woken up to check the score that Steve Smith hasn’t been at the crease.

Another blow to Moeen Ali as Dawid Malan gets to bowl his leg-breaks before him with this new ball. In fairness Moeen would rather be bowling at left-handers than the two right-handers in Smith and Marsh but you still wouldn't want a part-timer bowling before you.

There's no spin at all for Malan and not much to report from the over, other than another single to Smith. A run machine.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Melbourne

Four years ago in this fixture, the fact that Joe Root was bowling ahead of Monty Panesar told us that Monty's immediate future as England player was in doubt. Now, read Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan.

The England fans are chanting again, trying to spur their team on. This ball is now 14 overs old. Will the reverse swing come soon or has the heavy rain shower during lunch scuppered any chance of that? Dawid Malan throws the ball into Jonny Bairstow on the bounce during Chris Woakes' latest over and the Middlesex man is now going to get a bowl himself.

On that point, Michael Vaughan said earlier that England needed the groundsman who was using his mallet to flatten the bowlers' footholes to give Steve Smith a quick bash on the foot for them to win this match.

Use your imagination. What underhand methods could England use to get the Aussie captain out?

After a quick chat with his captain Chris Woakes is going to continue after the break. England think they almost have Smith here, not with a good delivery but a throw from the outfield. Smith takes a risky third run and Dawid Malan's strong throw whistles about a foot above the stumps. That would indeed have been close had it been a direct hit.

An inside edge onto pad from Marsh brings a little life again. That hurt Marsh but it could have gone back onto the stumps.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

There will be a lot of changes in Test cricket but the pitch is still the most important aspect. You've got to have a confrontation between bat and ball. Otherwise you get these slow pitches and it becomes turgid.

One thing I have noticed in this Test is when Tom Curran bowls a slower ball, it is really slow. It sounds obvious but often the difference between a bowler's stock delivery and slower ball isn't that great. You definitely can't say that about Curran. His latest effort is down at 65mph.

Good news. Jimmy Anderson throws himself around to prevent Marsh collecting four. There's no injury.

And that is drinks. A frustrating first hour of the afternoon for England. There are still 51 overs left. Don't give up yet.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Melbourne

If I never, ever see Steve Smith bat again, I'll still have seen too much of him.

Image source, Reuters

I think I said this during the Adelaide Test but this is the exact moment Joe Root would normally throw the ball to a fiery red-headed northerner to 'make something happen'.

A moment of serious concern for England. Jimmy Anderson fields the ball at mid-wicket before laying down flat on his back, seemingly in pain. Ah. Up gets Anderson and he now has blood on his whites around the knee. Maybe he has cut himself when sliding for the ball. Not nice but better than a twist or something similar. You can breathe a little easier.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

If England can get one to scoot low or get Mitchell Marsh to misread the length, then he's an lbw candidate.

It's all gone very quiet now. For once the Barmy Army aren't singing and even the England fielders seem to have lost a little bit of their chirp in the field.

Another quiet over from Curran as Australia bring up their 200 with a couple to Marsh. He has only scored eight runs in 44 balls since lunch but is doing a good job of killing time.

Alastair Cook has now vacated his position at first slip which makes for an odd sight with this new ball still hard and England seeking wickets.

It's not a great over from Woakes. A bit of short stuff but nothing threatening or intimidating. The rain clouds seem to have passed over the ground but the lights are still on.

That's dreadful from Chris Woakes. A short ball to Steve Smith that's way down the leg side and the batter helps himself to four down to fine leg.

Jim Maxwell
BBC Test Match Special

Mitchell Marsh looked like he could nick off at any time in his first 20-30 deliveries. Not now. But if England can get a wicket here then that keeps the game on tenterhooks.

Tom Curran into the attack now as, like in the first innings, Root changes his bowlers early to keep Anderson and Broad fresh for reverse swing.

A nice, tight maiden from Curran with a hint of variable bounce. Joe Root is still tinkering with his field and he'll know a breakthrough needs to come soon.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

If you're going to take 20 wickets on a pitch like this, you need your spinner. To not have any major contribution from your spinner is really difficult. Moeen has had no effect whatsoever.

An interesting field to Woakes with the ball only five overs old. Just one slip and two men waiting for a drive in the air. I think that is a reflection of the slow nature of this pitch rather than Joe Root not attacking.

Smith looks to have all the time in the world to wait, wait and wait a bit more before dispatching a pull shot into the deep.

It's not often you see a catch go to a silly mid-off or silly mid-on fielder but Mitchell Marsh drives just to the left of the the off-side fielder. England were excited for a split-second but nothing doing.