Postpublished at 04:18 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2019
Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent
Glorious. Denly is coming out of his shell.
Summary
Disciplined England dig in to build solid platform after winning toss
Stokes - dropped on 63 by Taylor at slip - ends unbeaten on 67
Denly (74) & Burns (52) make patient half-centuries
All four batsmen to fall caught behind the wicket
Postpublished at 04:18 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2019
Eng 171-3published at 74 overs
Glorious again from Joe Denly!
He drives Mitchell Santner back down the ground this time and it just about clears the rope for the first six of the game.
That's the 50 partnership off 127 balls. Are England going to try and cash in before the new ball in six overs time?
Postpublished at 04:17 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2019
Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondentSantner's low action makes him hard to hit in one-day cricket but less effective in Tests.
That was very nicely played by Denly - no risk in that as long as he got the middle of the bat on it.
Eng 165-3published at 73.4 overs
That's nice from Joe Denly.
He shifts his back leg out the way and goes in to out and drives Mitchell Santner over cover for four.
Glorious.
Postpublished at 04:12 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2019
Steven Finn
England bowler on BBC Test Match SpecialThe physio is on his knees next to Joe Denly wrapping his quad or hamstring up in tape. You do that when you have a bit of a strain.
drinks break Eng 160-3published at 73 overs
That'll be drinks.
England will be happy that they haven't lost any more wickets in the first hour of that session. They've added another 39 runs too.
Is the approach spot on or too slow? They're not really looking to manipulate the strike or drop and run are my early thoughts.
Postpublished at 04:09 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2019
Spot on, Aggers. Spot on.
Postpublished at 04:08 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2019
Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondentEngland have been very disciplined though I feel they could've been a bit busier. I don't want to pick too many holes in their new approach but some of them might have got off the mark earlier.
The dial is perhaps a bit too far the other way today.
Eng 157-3published at 72 overs
A bit of a spin for Mitchell Santner as Joe Denly manages to steer one past slip for a couple.
Tidy first over from the left-armer.
Eng 155-3published at 71.1 overs
Hmmm is that a missed opportunity?
Tom Latham is under the lid at short leg and he reads what Joe Denly is thinking and does brilliantly to collect the ball.
Denly, in playing the stroke, ends up three or four strides down the track but Latham opts not to throw the ball despite shaping to.
Really odd. Denly would have been struggling big time with a direct hit.
Postpublished at 04:03 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2019
We're finally going to see a bit of spin as left-armer Mitchell Santner comes on.
Postpublished at 04:03 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2019
Mark Ramprakash
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match SpecialThat is vintage Ben Stokes.
Eng 155-3published at 71 overs
Denly 50, Stokes 24
Neil Wagner makes a lot of noise, doesn't he? He lets out another yelp as Ben Stokes jams down on one and an inside edge trickles into the on side.
Oh, shot! A bit of width from Wagner and Stokes pierces the off-side field with a beautiful cover drive for four. Glorious.
Postpublished at 03:59 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2019
Bryan Waddle
BBC Test Match SpecialI am surprised we haven't seen Mitchell Santner. He's not a big turner of the ball but his variations might make something happen. There are only 10 overs to the new ball - this is the time to see if there is something for the spinner in the pitch.
Eng 151-3published at 70 overs
Solid again from Colin de Grandhomme as England and Ben Stokes just pick up a single.
Ten overs until the new ball now. England will want this partnership intact when that's due.
Image source, ReutersEng 150-3published at 69 overs
Oh, Joe Denly. It's shots like this one that explain why people aren't convinced the 33-year-old is a international batsman.
It's really wide from Neil Wagner and Denly should leave it every day of the week but he plays an expansive drive. Fortunately for him and England the ball beats the outside edge and goes through to BJ Watling.
Neil Wagner is not happy.
How's stat?!published at 03:54 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2019
Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statisticianThis is Joe Denly's first Test 50 in the first innings, his previous four all came in the second innings. He was averaging just 15 in the first innings before this knock.
50 for Joe Denlypublished at 03:53 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2019
Image source, ReutersA fifth Test half-century for Joe Denly!
And it's brought up in true Denly style with a cover drive.
It's wide from Neil Wagner and Denly just about gets enough on it for to beat the in-field and trickle away to the fence.
Postpublished at 03:53 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2019
Image source, AFPOver is Brisbane, Pakistan have collapsed from 75-0 to 78-4 in the first Test against Australia. Ouch.
You can see the full scorecard for that over here.
Postpublished at 03:52 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2019
Mark Ramprakash
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match SpecialColin de Grandhomme has been the key. He's given control of the run rate and picked up two excellent dismissals.