Player of the Match
Player of the Match

3.30pm "Woakes and Broad warming up in the middle. No sign of Anderson yet." Melinda Farrell has her binos trained on the outfield... "Looks like Sam Curran is warming up, possibly as sub fielder," Where did he spring from? I thought he was being given a beasting by Tom Banton at Taunton!

3.17pm That will be tea, seeing as the ten-minute turnaround makes a restart a bit pointless. England will settle for their handy lead of 90 ... but they got there in a runabout fashion today, thanks largely to Woakes' unbeaten 37 and a doughty bout of tailend durability from Broad. Nathan Lyon finishes with three wickets, and we can expect him to be right in the thick of things if Australia can give themselves enough runs to defend. This is getting tasty! Back in 15

Donnylad: "The best way to rest Anderson's leg might have been for Stokes, Bairstow and Ali to have worked extra hard to stay in for longer?" Indeed. Not a lot of clues in his body language as he left the field. He tends to look pretty downcast after his dismissals... but who knows, have we seen the last of Anderson in an Ashes contest? Let's hope not.

sheshank: "I bet Starc is sitting at home laughing" I imagine he's sitting in the dressing room scowling...

Jazz: "Sorry, but since when did the umpires start deciding teams don't have to face a tricky 15 minutes before the scheduled break?? Seems quite convenient for Australia." I think it's more about being fair to the paying public... why have 30 minutes of dead action out of 45?

135.5
W
Lyon to Anderson, OUT, honked up in the air! A simple catch for Cummins, running in at mid-on to gather the slog sweep, and Australia's long stint in the field is done...

JM Anderson c Cummins b Lyon 3 (27m 19b 0x4 0x6) SR: 15.78

135.4
0
Lyon to Anderson, no run, turn and bounce! Anderson is drawn into the drive, and Lyon's overspin dips on his attempted drive
135.3
0
Lyon to Anderson, no run, flicked off the toes, the man on the sweep is way back. But no single...

Silly point and short leg lurk, and a slip

135.2
1
Lyon to Woakes, 1 run, ramped over the shoulder once more, Woakes wants the second, but Anderson's mobility makes them settle for one

Mehul : "If Anderson is seriously injured, it makes sense for England to bat as long as they can, so the bowlers get a longer rest and are ready for the higher workload. "

135.1
0
Lyon to Woakes, no run, tapped to the leg side

A switch of ends for Lyon... Woakes on strike

END OF OVER:
135 | 2 Runs | ENG: 373/9

  • James Anderson3 (16b)
  • Chris Woakes36 (93b)
  • Pat Cummins33-9-84-3
  • James Pattinson27-3-82-2

Arun: "Perhaps Woakes not running two at 133.1 was an indication of the state of Anderson's legs?" Ding! That's actually a very valid observation

134.6
0
Cummins to Anderson, no run, head over the ball, pushed into the off side
134.5
0
Cummins to Anderson, no run, tucked off the legs, good contact to backward square, but with one ball to go, Anderson stays put
134.4
2
Cummins to Anderson, 2 runs, finds the gap at backward point, a soft-handed stab outside off, and hoovered up on the boundary's edge

Phil.: "The point of the stand is in part to keep Aus out in the field for longer. A day and a half in the field often leads to a few cheap wickets in the next innings. " Well yes, there is that. But the refusal of all singles just seems perverse.

134.3
0
Cummins to Anderson, no run, attacking the stumps, well watched from Anderson, picking the line from round the wicket, and digging out the full ball
134.2
0
Cummins to Anderson, no run, edged, drops short of second slip... looks for a moment as though it would elude the fielder but he drops a hand on it to prevent the run
134.1
0
Cummins to Anderson, no run, a nibble outside off, flat-footed from Anderson

Cummins returns from the City End (sorry, Birmingham End, the council got involved and we love Birmingham Council here at Cricinfo)... Anderson on strike with a couple of slips and a short leg

END OF OVER:
134 | 4 Runs | ENG: 371/9

  • Chris Woakes36 (93b)
  • James Anderson1 (10b)
  • James Pattinson27-3-82-2
  • Nathan Lyon43-8-111-2

Camillo Coccia: "So this is the fabled brittle English batting order" Nope, this is the fabled eternally wagging tail. Keep up!

133.6
0
Pattinson to Woakes, no run, short, a wild pull! Some intent at last. Okay, so it was a complete air-shot, but worth a roll of the dice
133.5
0
Pattinson to Woakes, no run, open-faced, attempted glide, digging out the yorker, but can't find the gap

Tasmeem: "Discount Lara will survive two more overs max (if he can't get off strike soon)." I must say, I can't see a lot of point to this stand at present...

133.4
0
Pattinson to Woakes, no run, fenced down into the cordon with an angled blade as Pattinson targets the top of off
133.3
4
Pattinson to Woakes, FOUR, width and slashed! There we go, that's the plan. Get 'em in edged boundaries. Just the one slip, so slash hard enough and you'll get away with it
133.2
0
Pattinson to Woakes, no run, defended back down the track with solid intent
133.1
0
Pattinson to Woakes, no run, elegant drive! Pierces the gap in the covers, and it takes a fine sliding stop from Bancroft to haul back the boundary. There could have been two there if Woakes had been proactive

Pattinson's back, as Australia seek a swift denouement

END OF OVER:
133 | 2 Runs | ENG: 367/9

  • Chris Woakes32 (87b)
  • James Anderson1 (10b)
  • Nathan Lyon43-8-111-2
  • Pat Cummins32-9-82-3

Melinda Farrell has her ear cocked to the crowd: "Warner holds out his palms to the crowd as they sing "He's got sandpaper in his hands" and then turns out his pockets before giving them a clap." What japes

132.6
1
Lyon to Woakes, 1 run, ramped over the keeper's head! A bit of a tangle of a shot, but he just about gets enough bat on it to jog the single and keep the strike

England 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st19JJ RoyRJ Burns
2nd41JJ RoyJE Root
3rd20JL DenlyJE Root
4th5JE RootJC Buttler
5th0JC ButtlerBA Stokes
6th12JM BairstowBA Stokes
7th0MM AliBA Stokes
8th39MM AliCR Woakes
9th0SCJ BroadCR Woakes
10th10JM AndersonCR Woakes