Summary

  • Head's 85-ball century lifts Australia from 236-6

  • Robinson takes two wickets in two balls after tea

  • Warner (94) and Labuschagne (74) put on 156 for second wicket

  • Warner survives being bowled off a Stokes no-ball, and being dropped in the slips by Burns

  • Leach expensive as Aussies target England spinner

  • First Test, day two, Brisbane

  • Daily highlights programme on BBC iPlayer from 17:00

  1. Postpublished at 02:17 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2021

    Let's try and look at positively - it can't quite much worse for England from here.

    Oh. What's that? It could? We best buckle in then.

    Admittedly I've only seen the final over from that session, but it sounds like England's bowling stacked up for at least 60% of the session, but the last 45 minutes show a major problem of playing in Australia.

    If you're not taking wickets it's hard to control the scoring rate. The hosts will have a decent chunk of a lead by tea unless England can strike, and strike multiple times.

  2. Postpublished at 02:14 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2021

    Thanks Matt.

    Lucky for him, I don't mind him saying at all.

    I've just logged on and my morning message was "good to see those two years of working out how to take 20 Australia wickets is paying off".

    Safe to say the first three sessions of this Ashes haven't quite gone as England had hoped.

  3. Postpublished at 02:12 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2021

    I feel like I've had the hope beaten out of me a little so I'm off to find some morale-boosting cricket YouTube videos.

    Callum Matthews is here to take you through some highlights and the next session. I hope he doesn't mind me saying this - he wouldn't be my number one choice for positivity...

  4. How's stat?!published at 02:06 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2021

    Andy Zaltzman
    BBC Test Match Special statistician

    The last nine overs in the session brought 63 runs.

  5. Lunch - Aus 113-1published at 31 overs

    Trail by 34

    If reality didn't hit yesterday it definitely has now.

    England bowled really well for an hour and a half and had very little luck. Australia have still dominated the session.

  6. Aus 111-1published at 30.5 overs

    For all the misery of the last 40 minutes, I really don't know how Mark Wood hasn't taken a wicket. Warner is beaten again on the penultimate ball before lunch.

  7. Aus 110-1published at 30.1 overs

    This partnership is now worth 100. Jack Leach has been hit out of the attack with Mark Wood back to bowl the final over of the session.

  8. Aus 110-1published at 30 overs

    Warner 46, Labuschagne 52

    All of England's good work in the first half of this session has been undone in the latter part. I hope lunch is good.

  9. Postpublished at 01:58 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2021

    Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    It looks like a hip or groin. I think he's gone.

  10. Aus 110-1published at 29.3 overs

    Oh Stokes is hobbling again here after trying to run after a ball. He looks like a man desperately trying to show he's not in pain.

  11. 50 runs

    50 for Labuschagnepublished at 29.1 overs

    Meanwhile Marnus Labuschagne has his first fifty of the series. It won't be his last.

    He gets there be slashing away a Chris Woakes long hop.

  12. Postpublished at 01:56 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2021

    Stokes half-stopped another attacking stroke from Labuschagne before hobbling badly as he pulled the ball back in front of the boundary. He's still limping.

  13. Postpublished at 01:55 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2021

    Daniel Norcross
    BBC Test Match Special

    I think he's alright. It's his left leg, but he's not clutching any part of it.

  14. Postpublished at 01:55 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2021

    Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Uh-oh.

  15. Aus 105-1published at 29 overs

    **Ben Stokes limping alert**

  16. Postpublished at 01:54 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2021

    Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    He has to find a way to keep them in the crease. You need some flight and guile on flat pitches. They are coming for him here.

  17. 6 runs

    Aus 102-1published at 28.3 overs

    They're teeing off to Leach.

    It's Marnus Labuschagne this time.

  18. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 01:52 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2021

    #bbccricket

    Andy Dufty: Said it before and will say it again, Joe Root is our best spinner

  19. Aus 92-1published at 28 overs

    Trail by 55

    Sigh.

    Jos Buttler can't get to one that scurries low and bounces horribly in front of him. It goes for four byes.

    I'm sure I've seen this script before.

  20. Postpublished at 01:47 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2021

    Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Leach has got to go through his variations, because if he keeps doing the same thing, Warner will destroy him.