1.20pm: Gnasher has this update from the ground: "Clouds are building up and the radar suggests some of those forecast showers and storms are starting to lurk around Birmingham. Will be interesting to see if the atmospherics provide Australia any assistance with the new ball. The cover is also on standby near the pitch during the lunch break."
12.59pm England have wrapped the innings up on the stroke of lunch. They bowled superbly through the second hour, with their tactics and unusual fields first slowing down Cummins and Khawaja, and then scything through the tail, after Robinson ended Khawaja's long vigil. This will be a second-innings shootout now, and England will have the advantage of bowling last. Australia have the attack for this slow pitch, though, with Nathan Lyon primed to exploit the turn that's been increasingly evident, and three tall fast bowlers to hit the deck and get the ball to misbehave. Alan will be here in 40 minutes or so to bring you the start of England's second innings.
Moose: "Honors even in the contest between an unstoppable force and an immovable object. Tantalisingly poised for some Bazball hi-jinks after lunch "
Sid: "The quick 50 runs that eng left behind in the 1st might finally haunt them"
Praveen: "Yusuf, love short ball tactics. Remember a bloke called Neil Wagner bowling it day in and day out and his captain Kane Williamson? This is more Wagner than Stokes. Give credit where it's due." --- May I remind you that a certain Brendon McCullum captained Wagner before Williamson took over?
PJ Cummins c Stokes b Robinson 38 (91m 62b 0x4 3x6) SR: 61.29
The lead is now down to 7. Robinson continues. Sixth over of his spell. Broad has bowled seven.
END OF OVER:116 | 9 Runs 1 Wkt | AUS: 386/9
- Pat Cummins38 (61b)
- Josh Hazlewood1 (1b)
- Stuart Broad23-4-68-3
- Ollie Robinson22-5-55-2
Three back on the hook now for Cummins. Silly point and short leg move to cover and midwicket. Back over the wicket.
Yusuf: "Man! I love this cricket. Can we have more Stokes-like captains in Test Cricket, please."
Here's the No. 11, Hazlewood. Broad goes round the wicket to the left-hander. Silly point and short leg still in place, and gullies both sides of the wicket.
SM Boland c Pope b Broad 0 (5m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
Deep square leg moves in, two-thirds of the way to the boundary.
Silly point and short leg still in place as Broad bowls from over the wicket to Cummins.
Aaron: "Boland's batting and bowling averages are somewhat similar."
END OF OVER:115 | (wicket maiden) | AUS: 377/8
- Scott Boland0 (3b)
- Pat Cummins30 (58b)
- Ollie Robinson22-5-55-2
- Stuart Broad22-4-59-2
Round the wicket now. Leg gully moves to leg slip.
Interesting. Scott Boland walks in ahead of Josh Hazlewood. The lead is 16. Silly point and short leg in place.
Darshan: "It's here that England could possibly rue not going for those extra 30-40 runs in Day 1...but nonetheless they don't look like conceding an extra large lead so they won't be too upset."
NM Lyon c Duckett b Robinson 1 (10m 6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 16.66
Nomi: "What a disgraceful celebration feom Ollie on Kahwaja's wicket, you cant swear at a player batting for more than a day, show some respect " --- It's not ideal, but I would imagine that bowlers are likeliest to express their frustration when they dismiss someone who's batted for as long as Khawaja did.