The Ashes live scores: Follow the action from Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and England
After a whopping 20 wickets fell on Day 1, what will Day 2 bring?
Australia enter Saturday at the MCG in a strong position, with a lead of 46 runs as they resume at 0-4.
They’ll be keen to bat through the day and set up a mammoth chase for England, but batting on this deck has not proved easy so far!
Stay across the latest below, with play to start at 10.30am EDT (7.30am WA time).
Charge!
Both openers are making their plans clear.
They are throwing the bat at anything wide and charging down the wicket to force Neser and Starc off a good length.
ENG 0-9, need 166
Run chase begins
Crawley gets a leg bye to start the chase as Starc thunders into his waist.
The big quick is looking fast.
ENG 0-1, need 174
Openers the key
Crawley and Duckett need to get England off to a good start.
They are both very good strikers of the cricket ball and can hit to all parts of the ground.
If they try and defend it’s just a matter of time before they fall.
ALL OUT
Australia are all out for a measly 132 as Richardson gets too ambitious and tries to pull one off Stokes, succeeding only in skying one to Brook on the off-side for his third catch of the day.
Smith is stranded at the other end on 24, facing just 39 balls despite coming in at No.5. The wickets just tumbled so quickly around him. Should he have tried to farm more strike or been more aggressive in those late stages?
England’s target is 175 to win the Test. It seems moderate but it’d be the highest total of the match after tallies of 152, 110 and 132 so far...
Australia 9-131
VALUABLE RICHARDSON RUNS!
Jhye executes a lovely pull shot for three, and later in the over, a crisp straight drive that goes for four through mid-off.
Crucial runs to push the lead out to 173. The last-wicket stand is worth 10 and counting.
Australia 9-122
Smith took the single off the first ball of the Stokes over, and shows PLENTY of faith in Richardson, who duly survives the next five.
164 the lead, one wicket in hand. Can the Aussies push it to 175? 180? Or dare to dream of 200?
AND NOW STARC GOES!
Oh boy. England have got their tails up, and we’re pretty much locked into a two-day Test now!
Starc edges one to Root, Carse suddenly has 4-25, and Jhye Richardson is the last man in.
End of the over so Smith takes strike... will he go aggressive as he runs out of partners?
9-121, lead just 163.
OUT! NESER DEPARTS!
Australia are now eight down. Gulp.
Neser can’t replicate his deeds from the first innings, and falls victim to a caught-and-bowled after executing a string of those types of dismissal in Brisbane.
Sharp catch from Carse in his follow through, one-handed at full strength. Combined with his run-out of Green in the first innings, it’s another great effort off his own bowling.
8-121 now, Starc at the crease.
OUT! GREEN’S GONE!
Cam Green can’t get it done!
The West Aussie falls victim to Stokes, with an unconvincing push succeeding only in providing a straight-forward catch for Brook at second slip. Played away from his body, departs for 19.
Michael Neser comes to the wicket at 7-119, a lead of 161. After Neser top-scored in Australia’s first dig, can he stand tall with the bat again and provide support for Smith?
Smith survives again!
The acting captain is riding his luck!
An edge off Carse’s bowling falls agonisingly short of Brook at second slip, and he lives to fight another day.
He nudges a single to move to 18, and it’s 6-116 (lead 158).
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