Summary

  • Smith and Labuschagne take superb catches as England lose two quick wickets before close

  • Buttler (47) counters after England lose four wickets for 65 runs

  • Denly hits 94 before being caught at slip by Smith

  • Stokes - dropped on 7 by Smith - makes 67 in 127-run stand with Denly

  • Lyon takes three wickets as pitch begins to take turn

  • Australia - 2-1 up in series - have already retained Ashes

  • Australia won toss; 5th Test, day three, The Oval

  1. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 13:52 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    Text us on 81111

    Far from me to say anything in Australia's favour but for them to put everything in at Old Trafford to bowl England out and then to be back bowling here at The Oval, they must be exhausted. Poor captaincy from Paine - poor reading of the conditions and poor management of his players.

    Amjad, Wakefield

  2. Eng 96-2published at 32 overs

    Joe Denly skips down the pitch, chips it wide of the diving Nathan Lyon and down to long off for a couple.

  3. Postpublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    I still doubt that Joe Denly is the long or even medium-term answer and don't feel his record last season merited a call up.

    But he has battled admirably and looked much more settled in those two fifties and so far today. Well played.

    He's also had to contend with unfairly being shunted round the order.

    Do England now stick with Burns and Denly as openers for the winter tours? Or do they move Denly again, back to three, and bring in Dom Sibley?

    Joe Denly in actionImage source, Reuters
  4. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 13:45 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    Text us on 81111

    As a Kent man, Denly has done us proud! Two battling fifties, fourth most runs in the England team, opening against the best seam attack in the world! Super Kent!

    Dan H

  5. Eng 93-2published at 31 overs

    Lead by 162

    Pat Cummins beats the outside edge of Joe Denly's bat with a beauty.

    But Denly has the final say this over, driving a full ball crisply through the covers for four. Shot!

  6. Postpublished at 13:42 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    Sir Geoffrey Boycott
    Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

    England would have to play terribly to lose this Test. Australia put England into bat, they dropped so many chances on the first day, Tim Paine had a terrible day behind the stumps - everything told me this Test was there for England's taking as early as the first day.

  7. Eng 89-2published at 30.3 overs

    Ben Stokes takes a quick single off his pads to get off the mark.

  8. Eng 88-2published at 30.1 overs

    Pat Cummins to Ben Stokes first up.

    And Stokes gets in behind to defend.

  9. Postpublished at 13:38 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    Australia are gathered by the boundary as Ben Stokes and Joe Denly stride past them onto the outfield.

    Big session coming up.

  10. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 13:36 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    #bbccricket

    Oli Batt: I wouldn’t be adverse to Sam Curran batting up the order a bit. If a big problem for him is feeling like he’s batting with the tail, give him the chance to bat up the order and bat long.

  11. Pick your combined Ashes XIpublished at 13:34 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    Rory Burns and Joe Denly are your only real option as openers.

    But how does the rest of your combined Ashes XI flow from there?

    Fill it in and share your team here.

    Jofra Archer (left), Ben Stokes (centre), Steve Smith (right)Image source, BBC Sport
  12. Postpublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    Perhaps there will be a year when it all clicks for Joe Root again and he just converts every start and makes something ridiculous like 12 centuries.

    In the short-term, it's probably a good shout for him to miss the New Zealand tour and get some well deserved rest.

  13. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 13:24 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    Text us on 81111

    Just checked and Root has just overtaken KP to be England's second highest international run scorer ever in all 3 formats, just another 2,000 or so to catch Cook now.

    Richard from Mytholmroyd

  14. Postpublished at 13:21 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

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  15. Postpublished at 13:20 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    Joe Denly has been clattered a few times in a delicate area but remains unbeaten on 37 at lunch, with Ben Stokes yet to score.

  16. How's stat?!published at 13:19 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

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  17. Postpublished at 13:18 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    But then Root edged a ball that didn't turn by Lyon straight to Steve Smith at slip...

  18. Postpublished at 13:16 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    Joe Root came in and looked busy. A cliche with Root but usually a decent sign he'll do well in an innings.

  19. Postpublished at 13:14 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    But then just when he'd seen off Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, Rory Burns managed to under edge and wide ball from Nathan Lyon to fall for 20.

  20. Postpublished at 13:10 British Summer Time 14 September 2019

    England resumed on 9-0 and Rory Burns and Joe Denly played very well, making the Aussie pacers toil.

    They compiled England's first 50 opening partnership of the summer, ending a run of 15 innings without one.