Matthew Potts to Mitchell Marsh, On a good length, outside off, Mitchell Marsh lets it pass.
Matthew Potts to Marnus Labuschagne, Outside off, Marnus Labuschagne dabs it towards deep third for a single.
Matthew Potts to Marnus Labuschagne, A typical Labuschagne shot. No, it is not a cover drive. Nor a straight drive. Nor a pull. It is just a massive shuffle across his stumps, a walk into the shot and for what? A forward defense to a length ball outside off.
Adil Rashid to Mitchell Marsh, Around off, solidly defended. Excellent start by Rashid and Australia are going to have a busy afternoon with the ball seaming from one end and spinning from the other.
Adil Rashid to Mitchell Marsh, How has that missed the stumps? Gosh. Marsh was nearly bowled around his legs. A full toss, outside leg, Marsh got down to sweep and it seemed like he missed it. The ball went past his bat and agonisingly, for England, over the leg stump and past the keeper. A couple taken towards long leg, but nothing signalled by the umpire. So Mitch did edge it.
Adil Rashid to Marnus Labuschagne, This is on middle and leg, Marnus works it through mid-wicket for a run. Gets off the mark.
Adil Rashid to Marnus Labuschagne, An absolute cracker. Rashid pitches this one outside leg and Labuschagne hangs back to defend. But the ball spins away viciously to beat the outside edge!
Adil Rashid to Marnus Labuschagne, Outside off, hint of turn, Marnus Labuschagne pushes but misses.
Adil Rashid to Mitchell Marsh, Full, outside off, Mitchell Marsh leans and drives it through the covers for a single.
DRINKS BREAK. This is impressive bowling from England. Bowling would have been a worry after the previous game but in favourable conditions, they have made the most of it. They might not have got quick and early wickets but with the balls getting old, they are making them talk, especially with cross-seam positioning. They would now want to work their way through the middle order. Australia, on the other hand, need some calm heads for a partnership. In walks another hero from the previous game, MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE. And finally, Brook turns to spin. Here is ADIL RASHID.
Matthew Potts to Steven Smith, OUT! BOWLED! Oh well, someone please stop Potts, because he is absolutely flying! What a perfect delivery. The ball is still nipping around and Smith is shuffling across, trying to counter the same. But the ball is pitched on a perfect length, just between good and full and catches Smith on the walk. That's not the only thing. It nips back off the seam viciously to catch the veteran completely off guard. Takes the inside edge, hits the pads and deflects onto the stumps. Smith rarely seems to agree that he was defeated by a good ball but while walking back to the dressing room, he seems to indicate that it was an absolute peach and he could not do anything about it. Human after all. Smith departs for 4 (6) and Australia losing their way now - 46/0 becomes 89/3!
Matthew Potts to Steven Smith, Outside off, nipping back in, Smith gets across to defend but gets a thick inside edge onto his pads.
Matthew Potts to Mitchell Marsh, A bit too straight, Marsh looks to tuck it away but misses. The ball defelcts off his pads towards fine leg. A single taken, leg bye signalled.
Matthew Potts to Mitchell Marsh, FOUR! In the air, but in the gap. England will not mind that. On a length, outside off, Mitchell Marsh flays hard at this one, but does not move his feet. Gets a thick outside edge which flies wide of backward point, beating deep third to his right.
Matthew Potts to Mitchell Marsh, Fuller, outside off, pushed towards point.
Matthew Potts to Mitchell Marsh, Outside off, on a length, punched towards mid off.
Brydon Carse to Steven Smith, FOUR! Oh my, when there is a class going on, how can the teacher stay away? A couple of balls ago, Marsh played a classy on drive, didn't he? Perfectionist Smith says, naah, that was good, but it can be better. Watch how. Carse pitches it full, around off, Steven Smith gets across, covers the movement, gets his elbow dead straight but not that high and places the full face of the bat. The ball goes past Marsh and into the long on fence. 20 from the over as Carse's figures read 4-0-40-1.
Brydon Carse to Steven Smith, Scrambled seam on this occasion, squares Smith up. He tries to work it from middle stump to the leg side but is early and gets a leading edge behind point.
Brydon Carse to Mitchell Marsh, Outside off, punched through the covers for a run.
Brydon Carse to Mitchell Marsh, FOUR! FLAMBOYANT! A genuine half volley this time, Mitch comes forward and plays a classy on drive, well wide of Liam Livingstone at mid on. Consecutive boundaries.
Brydon Carse to Mitchell Marsh, FOUR! Good idea but the execution was marginally off. Carse went for the yorker but got it a bit too full. Marsh pummelled it back at Smith who managed to sway out of the way and the ball rocketed to the long on fence.
Free Hit time!
Brydon Carse to Mitchell Marsh, On a good length, around off, Marsh defends. Wait. The third umpire informs the onfield umpire that Carse has overstepped! NO BALL!
Well, that one's gone. The fourth umpire has come out with a box of replacement balls.
Brydon Carse to Mitchell Marsh, SIX! BRUTAL! This is the power of the Bison. When he connects, they stay hit. A short ball, outside off, Mitchell Marsh picks the length quickly and pulls it with aplomb over mid-wicket. Such is the power on the shot that the ball flies beyond the boundary and even goes out of the ground, onto the road!
Matthew Potts to Steven Smith, Full and outside off, watchfully defended. A WICKET MAIDEN for Potts on return. 4-1-17-1 so far,
Matthew Potts to Steven Smith, This one nips back in a mile! Excellent from Potts, keeping the seam upright and getting the ball to talk. Smith gets across his stumps and does not offer any shot.
Steven Smith walks in at number 4, replacing Matthew Short.
Matthew Potts to Matthew Short, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! The bowling change works and Australia have lost both their openers. The slip was removed before this over and maybe, that was going on in Short's mind. Full, outside off, a touch wide, just about dangling the carrot, asking Short to drive. The batter obliges and goes hard on the cover drive but the feet do not move in time. The outside edge is generated and it goes quickly behind, but the keeper, Jamie Smith is quick as lightning to dive full stretch to his right to take it. Another start and out for Short, as he departs after doing all the hard work, seeing off the new balls. He goes for 29 (36) and Australia are 64/2, having lost both their openers in the span of 3 overs for 18 runs.
Matthew Potts to Matthew Short, On a good length, outside off, Matthew works it towards short mid-wicket.
Matthew Potts to Matthew Short, On a good length, around off, coming in, Short defends it towards cover.
Matthew Potts to Matthew Short, Full, outside off, Matthew Short gets a good stride forward and drives it towards cover.
Spin time? Surely not one more for Stone. So it is not Stone but not spin either. Matthew Potts is back on. 3-0-17-0 so far.
Brydon Carse to Mitchell Marsh, Ooohhh... almost. Carse keeps it full, outside off, the Bison looks to drive it through the covers but his feet don't move. The ball moves and beats the outside edge.
Brydon Carse to Mitchell Marsh, On a good length, around off, Mitch dabs it to the off side.
Brydon Carse to Mitchell Marsh, FOUR! FANTASTIC! A long half volley, outside off, Mitchell Marsh gets a long stride, does not go full throttle, just caresses it. But the ball still flies off the bat past the bowler through mid off. The skipper gets off the mark.
Brydon Carse to Mitchell Marsh, Fuller, outside off, Marsh looks to drive but gets it off the inner half of the bat towards mid on.
Brydon Carse to Mitchell Marsh, Similar line and length, Mitchell Marsh hops and dabs it to the leg side.
Brydon Carse to Matthew Short, On a good length, outside off, dabbed to deep third for a single.
Powerplay 2 time. This is allotted for 30 overs, from 11-40 with four fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle.
Olly Stone to Mitchell Marsh, Huge nip-backer, from outside off, Mitchell Marsh is beaten all ends up as he looks to play the ball across the line. He is hit on the pads but there is no appeal as the ball is heading down the leg side. A good finish to Powerplay 1 for Australia. They get 13 from it, ending PP1 at 59/1. Considering that they were 10/0 after 4, not bad at all.
Olly Stone to Matthew Short, Full, outside off, punched through the covers for a single.
Olly Stone to Matthew Short, A length ball, outside off, Matthew looks to pull but misses and wears it on his hip.
Olly Stone to Matthew Short, FOUR! FABULOUS! The best of the lot. Stone goes full and Short comes forward, driving the ball on the up, to the right of mid off. From 9 (21) at one stage, he has rocketed to 27 (29)!
Olly Stone to Matthew Short, FOUR! This is even better! This is not at all short, in fact it is on a good length but the line is fractionally outside off. Short picks the length in a trice and pulls it over mid-wicket!
Olly Stone to Matthew Short, FOUR! BOSH! Short and wide outside off, Matthew Short cashes in and punches it between cover and point.
Brydon Carse to Mitchell Marsh, Outside off, on a good length, punched towards point. Lucky over for Carse. Was not his best by any means but he will not mind. Could this be his lucky day?
Skipper Mitchell Marsh walks in at number 3, replacing Travis Head.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, OUT! CAUGHT! England get rid of the dangerous Head. It did seem like Olly Stone would be the one who could dismiss him and eventually, he has been involved in the dismissal. Carse has to believe he has got massively lucky here. It is a nothing delivery, a length ball on the pads and Travis Head whips it nonchalantly. The connection is sweet, the timing is good but the direction is not! He has picked out Stone to perfection at deep backward square leg who makes no mistake. Head departs for a fine cameo of 29 (27) and Australia are 46/1 after 8.5 overs.
Brydon Carse to Matthew Short, Around off, worked through the leg side for a run.