AUS 198/4 in 63 overs
Two no-balls from Stokes in the over. Stokes strays to the pads and Green flicks it down leg for FOUR.
AUS 192/4 in 62 overs
Moeen Ali starts with a loosener and Khawaja pulls the first ball through square-leg for FOUR. Fuller lengths and Khawaja digs them out from the surface.
Back for the final session
Khawaja and Green return to the crease as England takes the field.
AUS 188/4 in 61 overs - TEA
Last over before Tea. Root wafts one outside the off-stump and Green steps out and clobbers the ball over mid-off for FOUR. Fuller ball and Green taps it towards point. Wider outside off and Green spanks the ball through extra cover for another FOUR. Root finds a thick inside-edge off the last ball that falls towards the short mid-wicket fielder before TEA. Khawaja moves into the break on 84 not out.
AUS 178/4 in 59 overs
Root skims through another over. Green prods forward to find the gaps but fails to beat the fielders. Maiden.
AUS 172/4 in 56 overs
The runs have dried up as Stokes continues to pack the circle with fielders. Root does well to hit the blockhole to Khawaja and force him to dig out deliveries.
AUS 170/4 in 53 overs
Green continues to employ a sturdy defence as Stokes cramps up the fielders around him. Anderson channels his attack around the stumps and gently shapes one away to din the outside-edge short of gully.
AUS 156/4 in 49 overs
Anderson returns. He comes around the with Stokes at silly mid-off. Five dots on the trot before Anderson strays to the pads. Khawaja tucks it through mid-wicket for two runs.
AUS 148/4 in 46 overs
Moeen to Head, OUT! Caught this time. Head attempts to drag another ball from outside the off-stump but miscues it to Crawley at short mid-wicket. Cameron Green is in at 6. GONE? NO! Bairstow misses a stumping as Moeen revs one in as Green steps out and misses a slog across the line. Massive chance gone begging there.
Travis Head c Crawley b Ali 50 (63b 8x4 1x6)
AUS 148/3 in 45 overs
Robinson goes short and fraction wide. Head cuts it behind point for three runs and reaches his FIFTY!
AUS 139/3 in 44 overs
Moeen continues to feed looseners and Khawaja steps out by making room and nonchalantly lofts the ball over extra cover for FOUR. Fuller delivery and Khawaja dances down again and lofts the ball down the ground for SIX.
AUS 129/3 in 43 overs
Robinson digs one short and Head gets on top of the ball to slam it through square-leg for FOUR. Robinson overpitches and Head drills the ball to Pope at short cover. Robinson persists with the short ball as Head ducks underneath another one.
AUS 114/3 in 40 overs
Head drags a flat delivery from Moeen just past short mid-wicket for two runs. Moeen floats one in and Head synchronises in movement and launches it down the ground for FOUR.
AUS 106/3 in 38 overs
Moeen overpitches and Head clears his front leg and smashes the ball down the ground for FOUR. Fraction wide from Moeen and Head quickly latches onto it and scythes it through point for another FOUR.
AUS 98/3 in 37 overs
Broad continues the short-ball ploy to Head who ducks below one. Pope stands at short-leg. Shorter delivery onto the waist and Head tucks it fine for a single.
AUS 95/3 in 36 overs
FIFTY for Khawaja as he steers Moeen through cover. Moeen wafts one in and Head nimbly stepts out and pumps the ball over mid-on for FOUR. Short and drifting in. Head waits on it and flicks through square-leg for two runs.
AUS 86/3 in 34 overs
Moeen slides one in and Khawaja makes some room to tonk the ball over long-on for SIX. Short and wide and Khawaja slices it through point for a single.
AUS 78/3 in 32 overs
Moeen mixes up his lengths but Head lines up well behind the ball to defend. He plays out a maiden.
Second session begins
Khawaja and Head return as Stokes leads his side back to the field. Moeen Ali to resume the bowling.
AUS 78/3 in 31 overs - LUNCH
Head and Khawaja ward off a probing spell from Stokes and an over of Joe Root before heading into Lunch. What a morning for England, conceding just 64 runs in 27 overs for three wickets.
AUS 67/3 in 27 overs
Stokes starts with another no-ball. Stokes to Smith, LOUD SHOUT and given! Erasmus raises his finger after a long thought as Stokes slides one in to hit Smith high on the pads. He plays around it but reviews. But it’s THREE REDS on the replay! Smith falls as the England captain picks up a massive, massive wicket!
Steven Smith lbw b Stokes 16 (59b)
AUS 65/2 in 25 overs
Here’s Ben Stokes with the ball. He begins with a no-ball. Considerably fuller length on offer and Smith gets an inside-edge down to fine leg for a single.
AUS 63/2 in 24 overs
Moeen is getting the odd ball to turn and keep low. Smith does well to wait and move to his right and play as late as possible. Just a single from the over.
AUS 62/2 in 23 overs
Robinson slides one and Smith pushes it down the ground for three runs. Excellent commitment from Broad to put in a late dive to save a run.
AUS 49/2 in 20 overs
Moeen offers a speck of room and Khawaja dances out and smears the ball through extra cover for FOUR. He attempts again but Moeen goes flatter to wind him down.
AUS 43/2 in 17 overs
Just an element of surprise from Stokes as he replaces Brook with Ollie Robinson. Smith finds a few runs as Robinson continues to hit the deck hard.
AUS 40/2 in 15 overs
Wow! Harry Brook replaces Stuart Broad into the attack. Dibbly-dobbly on length and Smith taps it back. Sharp one. Brook slides one and Smith nearly clips it to the short mid-wicket fielder. “What’s coming next?” shouts Bairstow.
AUS 39/2 in 14 overs
Smith continues to intently dig out Anderson’s attack on the stumps. Smith shuffles across to flick the ball to mid-wicket for one run.
AUS 32/2 in 11 overs
Broad to Warner, OUT! Dragged on! Broad gets Warner for the 15th time in Test cricket. A nothing short there from the Australian opener. Marnus Labuschagne is in at 3. Broad to Labuschagne, OUT! A golden duck for the World No. 1! What a delivery from Broad and a stunning catch from Bairstow. Broad lands one on the full outside the fifth-stump line and gets it to gently move away and Labuschagne feeds one it and gets a thick outside-edge, pouched brilliantly by Bairstow leaping low to his right. Steve Smith in at 4. Broad on a hat-trick! He sends it wide down leg.
David Warner b Broad 9 (27b 2x4); Marnus Labuschagne c †Bairstow b Broad 0 (1b)
AUS 20/0 in 9 overs
Broad offers a rare loosener to Khawaja who swivels to pull through mid-wicket for FOUR. Broad returns with a sharp inswinger that cuts past Khawaja down to Bairstow’s right.
AUS 14/0 in 6 overs
In comes James Anderson. Anderson sends in a streak of outswingers concealing one gentle incoming delivery to Khawaja. Neatly fended off. Another maiden.
ENG 14/0 in 5 overs
Stuart Broad to open proceedings, Warner on strike. Broad runs in from around the wicket and shapes it away gently, clipping the outside-half of Warner’s blade towards point. Warner blocks out the incoming deliveries and plays out a maiden.
Game On
A moment of applause for the legendary Bob Willis before start of play before the Englishmen take the field. Out comes the Australian openers.
Day 2 in readiness
Just about five minutes from the scheduled start of play. The hover cover is still on the field with dark clouds still in the vicinity.
The pitch has been rolled and the hover cover is moving off and we will have a five-minute delay.
ICYMI: Joe Root’s special 30th Test ton
Ashes 2023: Joe Root overtakes Bradman in Test century list with 30th hundred
Muggy start at Edgbaston
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 17: Harry Brook of England walks to the nets to practice prior to the start of play on Day 2 of the LV= Insurance Ashes 1st Test match between England and Australia at Edgbaston on June 17, 2023 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Rain threat at Edgbaston
The clouds have descended in Birmingham and seems like we may have a stop-start kind of day.
Ashes 1st Test, Day 1 Review
A superb century from Joe Root, his first against Australia since 2015, helped England race to 393-8 before declaring on the opening day of the first Ashes Test, a move that did not bear fruit as the tourist held firm to finish on 14-0 at stumps.
In a move typical of the unconventional, attacking approach adopted by skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, England gave itself four overs to bowl at Australia on Friday, without any success.
After an aggressive England enjoyed a positive start with the bat in Birmingham, the key wickets of Stokes and firebrand Harry Brook left the home side on 176-5 and staring at the possibility of being skittled out quickly.
However, as has been the case for many years, Root steadied the ship, putting together a partnership of 121 with fellow Yorkshireman Jonny Bairstow, who eventually fell for 78, to save his country in the hour of need again.
Root pulled out some outrageous shots in an incredible innings, with his century greeted with raucous applause by an Edgbaston crowd, with its former skipper raising home hopes of a first Ashes series win in eight years, finishing unbeaten on 118.
England did all they could to take a wicket before the close of play, with Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson steaming in from either end, but David Warner and Usman Khawaja stood firm.
- Reuters
Where to watch Ashes 2023 1st Test, Day 2 in India?
Day 2 of the first England vs Australia Ashes Test match will be shown live on Sony Sports Network from 3:30 PM IST.
