England lose the big wicket of Ben Stokes for 12, as well as Ollie Pope (4), as Australia push towards their second victory in a row.
Importantly for Australia, they can take the second new ball in six overs.
There’s no rain forecast for Adelaide today, so Australia will have a full two sessions to get the job done.
Labuschagne finishes his tidy two over spell before the break. He went for just the two runs.
England still require 333 runs to win
After a dry period in the wickets department, Steve Smith has tossed the ball to part-time leggie Marnus Labuschagne. He’s very excited, as you would be.
His first ball is a half tracker that Chris Woakes chooses not to dispatch to the fence.
But ball two and three produce some spin and drift. Very enticing.
It’s a maiden for Marnus.
England 6-140
A question from the floor (feel free to send yours in as this game heads towards a resounding Australian win).
Q: “Do Australia have to get the last four England wickets to win or will we still win if they don’t beat our score?”
Answer: Yes Susie. Australia need four more wickets to win the match, therefore taking a 2-0 series lead into the third match in Melbourne. If Australia can’t manage that, it’ll be a draw.
I encourage you to send through questions, which we’ll pass onto our team of cricket writers.
England 6-140. Woakes and Buttler have been in the middle together for 82 deliveries. They’re proving difficult to dismiss.
What a photo from last night as Carey takes care of an edge from Haseeb Hameed. Credit:Getty
Buttler has occupied 69 balls so far and his technique is very polished. He plays the ball late, very straight, and has made Richardson bowl to him throughout the first session, which will come to an end in just over 20 minutes.
Buttler has good foot movement and his eyeline upon contact is right where it needs to be. He top scored for England with 39 in the first innings in Brisbane before nicking one off Mitchell Starc. In the second innings there, he was out caught behind again off Josh Hazlewood.
In Adelaide, Buttler was caught by Warner at first slip. He’s very susceptible to an edge, which the Australians will know. So far, so good.
England 6-135, still require 333 runs to win
Buttler goes about his work on day five. Credit:Getty
Nathan Lyon now has 33 wickets with a pink ball, one more than Josh Hazlewood, who missed this Test due to a side strain.
Woakes and Buttler are getting in behind Jhye Richardson and Lyon nicely. They are showing far more intent than Ben Stokes did, with Woakes crunching a lovely cover drive off Richardson that rockets to the boundary.
England 6-128
Batting: 65 runs at an average of 16.25. Strike rate of 26.53 (worst of any player in the series aside from Jack Leach).
Bowling: Three wickets for 202 runs at an average of 67.33.
England’s big star, who didn’t feature in the last series here four years ago, has had a terrible start to the series. He might come good in the next few Tests but when the series was alive, the all-rounder couldn’t fire when it mattered most. He had a knee niggle in Brisbane, which affected his bowling somewhat, but he certainly hasn’t lived up to the “game-changer” reputation. Australia will be thrilled.
Meanwhile, Chris Woakes hits a lovely cover drive off Michael Neser. England 6-114
Australian players appeal for the wicket of Ben Stokes. Credit:AP
Cricket Australia has sent out a 15-man squad for the remainder of the Ashes series, with matches in Melbourne (beginning December 26), Sydney (January 5) and Hobart (January 14).
In good news for Australia, Pat Cummins will return to the squad after leaving Adelaide following a COVID-19 scare that ruled him out of the second Test.
Australian squad for final three Ashes Tests
- Pat Cummins (NSW) (c)
- Alex Carey (SA)
- Cameron Green (WA)
- Marcus Harris (VIC)
- Josh Hazlewood (NSW)
- Travis Head (SA)
- Usman Khawaja (QLD)
- Marnus Labuschagne (QLD)
- Nathan Lyon (NSW)
- Michael Neser (QLD)
- Jhye Richardson (WA)
- Steve Smith (NSW) (vc)
- Mitchell Starc (NSW)
- Mitchell Swepson (QLD)
- David Warner (NSW)
A lively Australian outfit are convinced that Chris Woakes has got a little feather on a ball from Nathan Lyon but snicko can’t pick up anything. We continue. Lyon is every chance of running through England’s tail here.
England 6-105, still require 363 runs
It took Nathan Lyon 54 deliveries to remove Ben Stokes and the Australia spinner has done it.
Stokes is on his way for 12 from 77 balls.
Australia refer the decision and ball-tracker shows it was crashing into leg stump. Three red lights.
Stokes’ terrible tour continues.
The end is near for England, who slump to 6-105.
English scribes have been quick to lay the boot into the visitors. Joe Root’s unfortunate knock to the nads has been an editor’s dream.
Courtesy of Dean Wilson from The Mirror on Twitter, some of the headlines splashed over the papers include ‘Root Takes a Pounding Down Under’, ‘Gut Shot’ and Bodywhine’. We look forward to more throughout the summer.
England 5-105
The Ashes 2021-22 second Test, day five LIVE: Lyon wins battle against Stokes as England crumble
Source: Philippines Alive
