Khawaja, at the other end, drives behind point and picks up two before a nice drive back past Stuart Broad for a couple of runs.
Labuschagne has just told Ollie Robinson his first ball was a bit quicker than last time. That’s like a red rag to a bull!
Next ball is an unbelievable ball. Unplayable. It beats the outside of Labuschagne and he can only laugh.
Shane Warne isn’t too pleased by it.
Later in the over, Labuschagne is dropped by Zak Crawley at second slip, who dives in front of Joe Root at first slip. That should have been taken.
Australia 1-7
After failing to get off the mark from 21 balls, Warner is caught at second slip off his 22nd delivery.
Ollie Robinson is the bowler and he is ecstatic. He lets out a huge roar as England claim the big wicket after sustained pressure against the Australian opener. He becomes the first English bowler to take 10 wickets this series.
It’s Warner’s first Ashes duck in Australia. Marnus Labuschagne makes his way to the middle.
Australia 1-3
Broad hits the deck on the first ball of the Test. Credit:AP
Broad bowls another maiden to Warner, who is yet to get off the mark from 12 balls, while Ollie Robinson gets one to nip away from Khawaja’s bat. He does so another two times in the over and Khawaja is not getting close to some of these balls. A pace bowler’s dream.
This will be a serious test for Warner and Khawaja, who will be doing well to make it to drinks. England have three slips in place, ready for an edge.
Meanwhile, play can go until 11pm tonight. Great for Friday night viewing, not so much for newspaper reporters and editors on deadline.
Australia 0-2
Ollie Robinson has the ball in his hand at the other end and beats Khawaja’s bat twice before the left-hander works one into the leg side and picks up a couple of runs, much to the delight of a decent local crowd, who have never watched a home Ashes Test on Hobart soil.
Australia 0-2
In case you missed it, here are some highlights of Khawaja’s first innings knock in Sydney.
David Warner, in his 92nd Test, will face the first ball from Broad, coming around the wicket.
You’re kidding! Broad has hit the deck in his follow through as one nips back in and hits Warner on the back leg.
It’s a little too high. The England quick can only chuckle as he attempts half an appeal from ground level.
Ball two Warner keeps out, while ball three he lets go to Sam Billings, who gets his first touch in Test cricket.
It’s a maiden. A nice start from Broad, who will ask plenty of questions of Warner.
Australia 0-0
Australia before the fifth Test. Credit:Getty
Pitch
Surfaces have been surprisingly bowler-friendly this series, preventing England from scoring 300 at any stage during the first four Tests, and the green Bellerive Oval pitch looks no exception. Curator Marcus Pamplin has left extra grass on the strip to protect the pink ball used in day/night Tests, suggesting another hard slog for the batmen. Asked if the captain who wins the toss should bat or bowl first Pamplin replied: “I want them to be confused.”
Weather
Friday – 23 – showers
Saturday – 26 – showers
Sunday – 24 – showers
Monday – 22 – cloudy
Tuesday – 19 – cloudy
Betting
Australia $1.50
Draw $4.85
England $5.20
(Sportsbet)
Key match-ups
Wood v Labuschagne: As the world’s highest ranked batter, Labuschagne had a strong start to the series with a century and two fifties, but with his extra pace Wood has nicked him off cheaply during the past three Tests.
Khawaja v England: In a brilliant return to the Australian Test side, Khawaja scored twin centuries during the fourth Test in Sydney, more than the entire England side have managed all series. The elegant left-hander will have a much greater challenge in Hobart, promoted to open the batting in place of Marcus Harris on a green pitch with a pink ball that swings under lights.
Joe Root and Pat Cummins at the toss. Credit:Getty
A piece I wrote yesterday, examining Marnus Labuschagne vs Mark Wood this series.
Marnus Labuschagne’s batting coach Neil D’Costa says Australia’s livewire No.3 cannot wait to atone for three consecutive dismissals against Mark Wood and questioned a call for him to open the batting in Tests.
Labuschagne is the leading run-scorer for the series heading into Friday’s final Ashes Test in Hobart, with 286 runs at 47.66.
However, Labuschagne has been dismissed on three consecutive occasions by Wood, England’s spearhead quick, for scores of 1, 28, and 29 across matches in Melbourne and Sydney.
Labuschagne has been so prolific with the willow that this is the first time since his Test cricket career began that he has been dismissed three times in a row for under 30.
Across the series, Wood has figures of 3-17 from 52 balls against Labuschagne.
“Wood is bowling fantastic and troubling right-handers in particular with that angle in and [getting the ball to cut] away,” D’Costa told the Herald. “He’s bowling at great speed. I think right now, guys are loving the challenge of him. Marnus can’t wait to get out there and get on top of it.”
England have made five changes from Sydney.
As we foreshadowed a couple of days ago, James Anderson is not playing the Hobart Test. This sums up England’s planning for the series. In the conditions which Anderson is most suited – pink ball, green pitch, cool conditions – the veteran is not playing because he hasn’t recovered from the first of back-to-back Tests in Sydney. When your players do not have the talent of the opposition, you need your team management doing everything right. They have not here. That said, an attack including Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson and Chris Woakes have the skills to make life very difficult for Australia’s top six.
Joe Root finally has the toss go his way and decides to send Australia in on a green deck in Hobart.
Pat Cummins says he also would have bowled.
It’s 30 minutes later than scheduled but shouldn’t affect the day too much.
A few showers today in Tasmania. Credit:BOM
Ashes 2022 fifth Test LIVE updates: Warner gone for a duck after England win the toss and bowl
Source: Philippines Alive
