Cummins continues and Stoneman defends, until the bowler strays too straight and the Surrey batsman chips it into mid-wicket for two.

Stoneman currently looking to make the shot of the day competition a one-man contest - riding the bounce and cutting through backward point for four.

A short-ish one then kicks up a bit and Stoneman wisely withdraws the bat in time.

Adam Thrussell: I'll see your Mexico and raise you a Dominican Republic. Let's hope England's batting runs as hot...

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Sydney

The press box is next to the posh seats. I am at the end of the press box. If it wasn't for some glass, I'd be sitting on a corporate chap's knee.

Image source, BBC Sport

Shot! Starc persists with a full length, Stoneman picks it up and punches it back down the ground through mid-on for four.

Another lovely strike off the next ball, this time Stoneman driving out through the covers for three.

Cook tries to work off his pads but gets a leading edge before he goes to cut and gets an inside edge through his legs.

He then flashes at a very wide on. Settle down, Alastair. He duly leaves the last.

A tidy maiden from Cummins to start, with Cook happy to calmly defend all six deliveries.

Starc will continue from the other end.

Josh Hazlewood is off after just two overs, with Pat Cummins coming on.

Perhaps to facilitate a change of ends for Hazlewood?

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Even though the carry is good, there's no real pace in this pitch. I'm sure there'll be more pace as the wicket hardens up over the next day or two.

Starc goes full to Stoneman, who slices it away square, with Lyon unable to make the diving stop this time and England running one.

Again full to Cook and down leg, allowing the Essex man to tickle it off his pads for one.

Starc's radar not working so far - another full one down leg is flashed away to the fence by Stoneman for the first boundary of the day.

A short one to finish, of course, but Stoneman weaves out of the way easily enough.

Cook works it away to mid-wicket for one, before Stoneman plays uppishly into a similar region, the ball just dropping in front of Pat Cummins.

Stoneman then edges into his pads but shows good awareness to scamper a quick single, with the ball rolling into a gap in the covers.

Hazlewood comes round the wicket at Cook, and gets one to wobble away from the left-hander that Cook plays and misses. A lovely delivery - not swing, but delivered like an off-break and veering away off the pitch.

• Afternoon session: 01:40-04:40 GMT
• Tea: 04:40-05:00
• Final session: 05:00-07:30 with extra 30 minutes available

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

This is Alastair Cook's 150th consecutive Test. The only person to have played more matches consecutively is Allan Border, with 153.

Image source, Gett

Cook tries to flick away one down leg, misses, but the ball runs away off the pad for a leg bye.

Starc still trying to rev up to top speed, but getting some nice shape in the air - a full one beats Stoneman's defences and cracks his foot. The Aussies appeal but no interest from the umpire - that was sliding a long way down leg.

A bit jumpy from Stoneman, just about taking evasive action under the first real bouncer of the day.

Blake Westwood: Stoneman, like Cook last week, really needs a score here if he wants to remain in the side for the New Zealand series.

A thick inside edge gets Stoneman off the mark and out of Hazlewood's sights.

Cook leaves the next two alone before a slightly mistimed drive for no run.

The former skipper does finally get off the mark as Hazlewood drifts onto the pads and Cook clips it away for a single.

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

I think this is a pitch that has been designed for Australia's seam bowlers.

Yeesh. Mark Stoneman gets an absolute jaffa from Josh Hazlewood first up. That nipped majorly off the seam and had the England opener driving at thin air - fortunate not to edge it behind.

Starc swings a couple away from the left-hander that Cook is happy to leave well alone.

The returning Aussie quicky then goes full again, but it's wide and Cook can drive at it - only for Nathan Lyon to put in a terrific diving stop at point to prevent a boundary.

Lyon has proven himself to be one of the best fielders in the world during this series. Not something I envisaged typing when his Test career began.

A solid defence to finish. And a solid first over from Starc - a maiden.

And it's a yorker from Starc that Cook does well to dig out.

Image source, Reuters