The Ashes LIVE: England vs Australia fourth Test, day two score – latest cricket

Mitchell Starc hits the deck and stays down! Starc had been stretching his hamstring out, ready for a return despite that existing ailment, but he appears to have done himself some mischief here, landing awkwardly on his left arm to jolt his shoulder after diving to cut off a Harry Brook drive.

Out comes the Australia physio to test his range of movement. And Starc is wandering off. That doesn’t look particularly promising for further participation this evening.

Ben Stokes almost runs himself out! A horrible call from the England captain, punching straight to Pat Cummins at mid-off but charging through regardless and out of the frame as Cummins hurls with sight of all three. His throw is awry.

If we get significant amounts of play over the weekend, that up-and-down variation in the bounce will make batting in the fourth innings a challenge, you’d think – if they can winkle out a couple more tonight, Australia won’t feel entirely out of the game. It might also cause England to reconsider any declaration plans, batting for slightly longer to avoid having to do more as it deteriorates.

Hello! Ben Stokes is out of his crease and coming further forward but is caught off guard by a Josh Hazlewood bumper, getting up a double glove shield just in time to avoid dental surgery.

Stokes’s riposte is a powerful pan through the covers for his first boundary.

It tunnels through! Joe Root is excavated!

Root shrugs his shoulders – there’s nothing he can do about that, a length ball skidding at shin height and cleaning him up. A brilliant supporting hand from Root, who is replaced by his skipper.

Those shooters are coming reasonably infrequently though, this surface still true more often than not – Joe Root clips beautifully through midwicket for three as England continue to grow their lead.

Another bit of variable bounce, Josh Hazlewood scuttling one under Joe Root’s attempted drive after the England batter had come skipping out of his crease. Root doesn’t appear overly alarmed, moving into the eighties with a scampered two through the legside.

Five singles from Cameron Green’s over.

Two slips in for Harry Brook, but there’s been little movement off the straight to suggest they’ll be particularly busy. Brook is underway with a nurdle.

Joe Root is struck on the pad and Josh Hazlewood turns with a hopeful hoist of his hands, but a big stride outside off is the obvious limiting factor on a curtailed appeal.

Out comes Harry Brook, Test average a cool 64.25 as he begins with the most pristine of platforms laid. A couple of Yorkshiremen together on enemy territory with an hour or so left tonight to have some fun.