Summary

Send us your views

  1. Goodbye!published at 08:00 GMT 5 January

    That's all for day two of the fifth Ashes Test.

    Make sure you read Stephan Shemilt's report from the SCG on a disappointing day for England.

    There will be highlights available on BBC iPlayer from 17:00 GMT and a TMS podcast on BBC Sounds shortly.

    We'll be back with full coverage of day three on the BBC Sport website at 22:45 GMT, with play starting at 23:00.

    Test Match Special will also be on air at that time with ball-by-ball coverage.

    If you want more cricket content between now and then, we've got you covered:

    Goodbye!

  2. What happened on day two?published at 07:57 GMT 5 January

    Two days down, three (maybe) to go.

    England resumed on 211-3 and would have been eyeing 450+. Instead, they were bowled out for 384.

    Joe Root was at his scintillating best, bringing up his second Test century on Australian soil and surpassing the 138 not out he made in Brisbane. He top-scored with 160 off 242 balls, including 15 fours.

    Media caption,

    'He's done it again!' - Root's sublime 160 builds England run total

    Media caption,

    Root takes single to reach 150 mark

    England were guilty of losing wickets in clumps, with Harry Brook (84) and Ben Stokes (0) departing in the opening 30 minutes and a dismal spell of 4-9 to close out the innings.

    But none of the wickets were as frustrating as the dismissal of Jamie Smith, out needlessly to Marnus Labuschagne for 46 on the stroke of lunch.

    Michael Neser finished with 4-60, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland picked up two apiece, and Cameron Green and Labuschagne also got in on the action.

    Media caption,

    Brook dismissed for 84 as 'poor shot' caught at slip by Smith

    Media caption,

    'Lack of discipline' from Smith leads to dismissal in 'bizarre passage of play'

    Media caption,

    Root caught and bowled by Neser as sublime 160-run innings comes to an end

    Australia scored runs for fun in the final session, led by Travis Head's unbeaten 91 (87), as Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts struggled to find the right line and length.

    Jake Weatherald was dismissed early on for 21 and Stokes bagged the wicket of Labuschagne late on to break a 105-run second-wicket stand, but day two at the SCG belonged to Australia.

    The hosts are 166-2, trailing by 218 runs.

    Media caption,

    Head drives through extra cover for four to bring up his fifty

    Media caption,

    Labuschagne dismissed for 48 after gifting easy catch to Bethell at gully

  3. Highlights on BBC iPlayerpublished at 07:54 GMT 5 January

    BBC iPlayer

    Full highlights of all of the action, plus reaction from the players and analysis from the TMS team, will be available from 5pm each day on BBC iPlayer.

  4. Postpublished at 07:51 GMT 5 January

    WinViz has England narrowly ahead...

    WinViz gives Australia 32% chance of victory, England 39% and the draw 29%Image source, CricViz
  5. 'Didn't get it right tonight'published at 07:49 GMT 5 January

    More from England batter Joe Root, speaking to TNT Sports: "I think the game is set interestingly. I don't think we got things right tonight and it's about responding in the morning. There's still plenty work with in that surface and it showed when you built pressure for a period of time, put balls in a good area, something will happen.

    "The most important thing is not panicking, not dwelling on what's happened here. It's how we respond tomorrow morning and making sure we maximise that chance first up."

    On how he approaches batting in different conditions: "I work hard at it [batting rhythm]. More than anything else it's about getting consistency with what you're doing. Obviously with different bowler types it can be tricky.

    "It's about adapting to the different challenges and I spent a lot of time in the lead up to this game basically trying to find that. I use my arms to get some sort of flow. I'm not the strongest bloke, and don't hit the ball particularly hard, so I need to use the pace and what is coming down then time it as much as possible. More than anything it's about creating that flow to maximise it."

  6. 'I'll be fine tomorrow'published at 07:47 GMT 5 January

    England batter Joe Root speaking to TNT Sports: "It was satisfying [to make a hundred]. Obviously batting on the surface yesterday it felt a very good batting wicket. It felt a little different today - it spend up a little bit and did a bit more off the indentations.

    "We wanted to maximise that first-innings score. Here when you see it crack like that, there could be a lot of uneven bounce throughout the rest of the game. Things could deteriorate quite quickly at some point so making the most out of that first innings was always going to be important.

    "Once that partnership with Harry Brook was broken it was about me trying to bat the majority of time, being able to build a couple of partnerships to get us up to a really good score and thankfully, managed to do that for a while."

    On leaving the field in the evening session: "I just started cramping in my back. Thank goodness there's no cameras in the dressing room as I was stuck on a physio bed and couldn't get off. It was more precautionary and I feel a lot better now and I'm sure I'll be absolutely fine tomorrow."

  7. 'The wicket quickened up nicely today'published at 07:44 GMT 5 January

    Scott Boland celebrates a wicketImage source, Getty Images

    Australia bowler Scott Boland speaking on Test Match Special: "I wasn't overly disappointed [not to be the nightwatchman] because it is hard work for a few overs!

    "We were not disappointed on day one. The wicket felt flat yesterday. Today it felt like it quickened up a little bit. The margin for error is small however. As soon as you get fuller, it feels like a nice wicket."

    On taking the new ball: "The game changed then and the same thing happened for England. There was some really nice carry as a fast bowler."

    On Alex Carey as wicketkeeper: "It is unbelievable how he does it. It has been game changer for us and it is nice to know exactly where the balls are going to land."

  8. Postpublished at 07:42 GMT 5 January

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

    Jamie Smith's wicket encapsulates what is wrong with the mentality of this team. It was utterly brainless. Totally unnecessary. It was irresponsible. It was everything

    Marnus Labuschagne was bowling bouncers! Marnus. Labuschagne. It was a trap. You cannot play Test cricket like that - you will not win.

    This culture has not been good for a list of players - Ollie Pope, Harry Brook. They are not playing to their full talent.

    Media caption,

    'Lack of discipline' from Smith leads to dismissal in 'bizarre passage of play'

  9. 'Sometimes you make the odd mistake'published at 07:39 GMT 5 January

    More from Joe Root, on Jamie Smith's dismissal: "We wanted to maximise the lead with the new ball. You can soak up that pressure or you can try and put pressure back on the bowlers. The most important thing is driving the game in the right direction which is what Jamie was trying to do - that's how I viewed it in the middle. Sometimes you make the odd mistake and you have to live with it.

    "The wicket felt like, if you asked good questions you got good rewards."

    On the words in the middle: "No insight yet, hoping to find out myself soon."

  10. 'A reasonable score, but we struggled with the ball'published at 07:36 GMT 5 January

    Joe Root raising his helmet in his left handImage source, Getty Images

    England's Joe Root speaking on Test Match Special: "A strange day really. It felt like we got a reasonable score but we just couldn't get it right with the ball. There is a bit in the wicket but the challenge ahead is to build pressure on it.

    On his absence in the field: "My back is fine it is just cramp. It was just a pre-caution to stay off at the end there. All good now.

    On his century: "I don't look at it in numbers. Hopefully it has a positive impact on the outcome of the game. We felt like we made the most of that first innings but this pitch could warm up and crack. To get near to 400 is a good effort.

    "Hopefully we can back things up tomorrow."

  11. Postpublished at 07:33 GMT 5 January

    Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    There was no fingertip control from England's bowlers today. They should be able to go and hold a line and a length - they have been picked for their country.

    There has been no consistency from this bowling attack from the moment they stepped foot on this shore.

  12. Postpublished at 07:31 GMT 5 January

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

    Josh Tongue and Ben Stokes were head and shoulders above the rest of the bowlers. England's bowling was erratic.

    Travis Head is just an exceptional player and England are yet to come up with a plan to get him out.

  13. Postpublished at 07:29 GMT 5 January

    Although Ben Stokes bagged the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne late in final session, breaking a 105-run second-wicket stand, it was Australia's day.

    Media caption,

    Labuschagne dismissed for 48 after gifting easy catch to Bethell at gully

  14. Postpublished at 07:27 GMT 5 January

    With the bat, Australia got off to a flyer, enjoying themselves against some wayward bowling from Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts.

    Jake Weatherald couldn't capitalise on being dropped by Ben Duckett on 14, falling for 21, but Travis Head scored runs for fun.

    He's unbeaten on 91 off 87 overnight.

    Media caption,

    Stokes dismisses Weatherald lbw for 21 as England benefit from umpire's call review

    Media caption,

    Head drives through extra cover for four to bring up his fifty

  15. Postpublished at 07:24 GMT 5 January

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

    This series has been a huge disappointment for Harry Brook, who came here with great expectations.

    I hope he watched Joe Root out there and thought 'that should have been me and what can I do to get there'. He just gives his wicket away all the time. He has rarely got out, it is always an unforced error.

  16. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 07:21 GMT 5 January

    Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say

    Umpires desperate to leave the field again. Hope the ground staff can clear the drizzle off before tomorrow but not sure.

    Ben, at a slightly damp SCG

    A penny for the thoughts of Ben Foakes this morning as he skims through the day's highlights over his cornflakes.

    Matty, Askam in Furness

    England cricket team doing what they do best. Not scoring enough runs then not bowling well enough, what a surprise.

    Jack

  17. Postpublished at 07:17 GMT 5 January

    But in between those two clumps of wickets was Jamie Smith.

    He was reprieved on 22 - caught off a Cameron Green no-ball - but threw away his wicket on the stroke of lunch.

    Was this the turning point?

    Media caption,

    'Lack of discipline' from Smith leads to dismissal in 'bizarre passage of play'

  18. Postpublished at 07:14 GMT 5 January

    Michael Neser was a particular nuisance, mopping up at the back end of the innings and finishing with 4-60 from 18.3 overs.

    He bagged the wicket of Will Jacks, which sparked England's slump...

    Media caption,

    Green takes catch at gully to dismiss Jacks for 27

    Took an excellent caught and bowled to bring Joe Root's knock to an end...

    Media caption,

    Root caught and bowled by Neser as sublime 160-run innings comes to an end

    And bowled Josh Tongue for a two-ball duck to wrap up the innings.

    Media caption,

    Neser bowls Tongue for a duck as England all out for 384

  19. Postpublished at 07:12 GMT 5 January

    However, the rest of England's batters didn't cover themselves in glory.

    Harry Brook, on 78 not out overnight, couldn't push on. He and captain Ben Stokes fell in the opening 30 minutes.

    And the innings ended in underwhelming fashion, the final four wickets falling for nine runs - a slump from 375-6 to 384 all out, hopes of a 450+ total snuffed out in a flash.

    Media caption,

    Brook dismissed for 84 as 'poor shot' caught at slip by Smith

    Media caption,

    Australia use review to dismiss Stokes for a duck as England captain is caught behind

  20. Postpublished at 07:09 GMT 5 January

    After that bizarre finish, let's have a detailed look back on day two.

    Starting with the positives - Joseph Edward Root.

    A second Test century on Australian soil, top-scoring with 160 off 242 balls, including 15 fours.

    He was the penultimate player out for England and shared good partnerships with Harry Brook (169 - fourth wicket), Jamie Smith (94 - sixth wicket), and Will Jacks (52 - seventh wicket).

    Media caption,

    'He's done it again!' - Root's sublime 160 builds England run total

    Media caption,

    Root takes single to reach 150 mark