sydney d1 commentary

By Dave Tickner

0733: CLOSE
England, 1st Innings 234 for four
England will be pretty satisfied with their day's work, but there will be more to do first thing tomorrow against the second new ball. It's crucial Collingwood and Flintoff protect the lower order from the new nut for as long as possible. England will be frustrated to see all their players get starts without going on to make the really big scores the tourists need to get out of this series without getting whitewashed. Perhaps Collingwood and a far-more-convincing Flintoff will put that right on day two.

0730: That will presumably be the end of play for the day, but we'll give you official confirmation as soon as we have it.

0729: Australia want to take the new ball, and the umpires response to that is to offer the light, an offer eagerly accepted by the batsmen.

0729: Over 80 Collingwood gets the ball wide of midwicket for a single. Flintoff plays out the rest of Warne's over and the new ball is due.
England 1st Inns, 234/4: Collingwood 25*, Flintoff 42*

0726: Over 79 Another maiden over from Symonds with England clearly having one eye on the new ball and fast-fading light in Sydney.
England 1st Inns, 233/4: Collingwood 24*, Flintoff 42*

0722: Over 78 Warne overpitches again, and Collingwood works the ball to deep midwicket for a single. Flintoff adds another run pushed down the ground off the back foot.
England 1st Inns, 233/4: Collingwood 24*, Flintoff 42*

0719: Over 77 Another maiden over, and these two England batsmen are clearly well aware of the importance of these final 10 overs tonight. England would dearly love to avoid exposing Chris Read and the bowlers to the new ball.
England 1st Inns, 231/4: Collingwood 23*, Flintoff 41*

0715: Symonds is back into the attack for what will presumably be a two-over spell before the second new ball.

0715: Over 76 Collingwood carefully plays out a maiden from Warne, and that's his first of the innings in his seventeenth over.
England 1st Inns, 231/4: Collingwood 23*, Flintoff 41*

0712: Over 75 Flintoff eases the ball through midwicket and times it very sweetly to get full reward. Four runs to Flintoff, who looks a completely different player today. Flintoff ducks under a rare Clark bouncer and this is surprisingly the highest fifth-wicket partnership in the series for either side.
England 1st Inns, 231/4: Collingwood 23*, Flintoff 41*

0708: Over 74 Flintoff pushes down the ground for a single as Warne pitches one up outside off stump. A short ball from Warne is hammered to deep midwicket by Collingwood, but he gets just a single with the man now stationed on the fence. Flintoff hits down the ground for another single as this partnership continues to progress at good pace for England.
England 1st Inns, 227/4: Collingwood 23*, Flintoff 37*

0704: Over 73 Flintoff works to leg for a single. Collingwood flicks to long-leg for two runs and plays out the rest of the over in solid defence.
England 1st Inns, 224/4: Collingwood 22*, Flintoff 35*

0700: Over 72 Warne lures Flintoff into playing at a big-spinning ball outside the off stump, but the England captain makes no contact. A full-toss from Warne is eased out to deep midwicket for a single, and another full-toss is smashed for four through square-leg by Collingwood to bring up the 50 partnership. Warne bowls a third full-toss in the over, and Collingwood is again happy to help himself to four through the legside.
England 1st Inns, 221/4: Collingwood 20*, Flintoff 34*

0656: Over 71 Flintoff edges at catchable height through the vacant third-slip area and gets four runs. Clark is fuming, but if you don't have the men catching then it's going to happen. Collingwood cuts hard and, with point set deep, helps himself to a single. The cloud cover has returned at the SCG, but it looks like we'll continue to enjoy good luck with the showers here.
England 1st Inns, 212/4: Collingwood 12*, Flintoff 33*

0652: Clark is back into the attack after a long drinks break.

0647: Drinks. This time the drinks trolley is allowed onto the field. Undoubtedly Australia's session thanks to those two quick wickets, but Flintoff is fighting back again. However, one wicket and Australia will feel they are into the tail so this partnership is crucial.

0647: Over 70 Warne appeals for lbw against Flintoff, but the ball was spinning too much and would have missed off stump. Flintoff gets a single by working the ball to midwicket, and the last ball of the over spins sharply past Collingwood's outside edge.
England 1st Inns, 207/4: Collingwood 12*, Flintoff 28*

0643: Warne is back into the attack in place of Clark.

0643: Over 69 Flintoff guides a short ball from Lee into the slip cordon, and Ponting's misfield allows a single. A big inswinger from Lee is left alone by Collingwood and forces Gilchrist to dive and take one-handed to his left. Australia's keeper had a bad Test in Melbourne, but he has been on top form here in Sydney.
England 1st Inns, 206/4: Collingwood 12*, Flintoff 27*

0639: Over 68 Collingwood gets four with a sweetly-timed drive down the ground on the up. Cracking shot, but Clark's response is superb, jagging the ball past Collingwood's outside edge as the batsman gets squared up in defence. Just the boundary from the over as these two batsmen look to consolidate England's position.
England 1st Inns, 205/4: Collingwood 12*, Flintoff 26*

0635: The drinks trolley atarts coming onto the field before being snet back by an angry Aleem Dar. Ten miuntes early there, lads. The giant Gatorade makes a shamed retreat to the boundary edge and play will continue.

0634: Over 67 Collingwood nurdles the ball into the legside and comes back for a second run to bring up England's 200. A good short ball from Lee is well played by Collingwood, who gets right on top of the bounce to get the ball into the legside for a single.
England 1st Inns, 201/4: Collingwood 8*, Flintoff 26*

0629: Over 66 Glorious shot from Flintoff, launching a good-length Clark delivery high over midwicket and into the stands for six. This is an aggressive counterattack from Fred, who looks better than he has at any other time in the series.
England 1st Inns, 198/4: Collingwood 5*, Flintoff 26*

0625: Double bowling change for Australia, with Clark back into the attack.

0624: Over 65 Good early signs for Flintoff, who races to 15 with a fierce cut shot to the fence as Lee drops short. The bowler comes back well with one that moves away from the bat and beats Flintoff's defensive lunge. Lee then overpitches outside off, and Flintoff smashes a drive through point and it flies away to the boundary. A flick to long-leg gets Flintoff a single to end a productive over for England.
England 1st Inns, 192/4: Collingwood 5*, Flintoff 20*

0620: Lee is back into the attack.

0620: Over 64 Collingwood whips a full-toss from Warne through square-leg. McGrath makes a sterling effort on the boundary, but the ball beats him to the rope. A hard sweep earns a single for Collingwood. Another sweep, from Flintoff this time, gives McGrath more work in the deep, to the delight of the crowd.
England 1st Inns, 183/4: Collingwood 5*, Flintoff 11*

0616: Over 63 Flintoff drives hard into the covers and gets two runs despite Symonds' half-stop at mid-off. McGrath tries to tempt Flintoff into an injudicious shot outside off stump, but the England captain resists, looking to leave where possible.
England 1st Inns, 177/4: Collingwood 0*, Flintoff 10*

0612: Over 62 Short and wide from Warne, and Flintoff guides it nicely well behind point and into the gap for four runs. Flintoff is then almost deceived by the flipper, but does get the bat down in time. A hard sweep gets Flintoff a single, and he's certainly looking to be positive here.
England 1st Inns, 175/4: Collingwood 0*, Flintoff 8*

0608: Over 61 Flintoff clips through midwicket to get off the mark with three runs to slightly spoin an otherwise perfect over from McGrath.
England 1st Inns, 170/4: Collingwood 0*, Flintoff 3*

0604: Flintoff is the new batsman, and Australia are all over England at the moment.

0603: WICKET!
IR Bell b McGrath 71 Two in three balls for McGrath, and England have lost both their well-set batsman and are now in desperate trouble given their infamously lengthy tail. To be fair to Bell, who once again fails to convert a start into a big score, it's a fine delivery from McGrath, cutting in off the pitch and hitting the top of off stump.

0602: Over 60 Bell drives solidly to deep cover for a single, and Collingwood plays out the over defensively.
England 1st Inns, 167/3: Bell 71*, Collingwood 0*

0558: Over 59 Collingwood survives a big lbw shout from the final ball of McGrath's over. Collingwood got just outside the line, and the ball was probably going over the top. But McGrath gets a huge ovation as he returns to his long-leg fielding position.
England 1st Inns, 166/3: Bell 70*, Collingwood 0*

0557: Paul Collingwood in at number five.

0556: WICKET!
KP Pietersenc Hussey b McGrath 41 Pietersen charges and top-edges a hook shot as McGrath bangs it in short. The ball lands safely, but Pietersen repeats the shot two balls later, and this time the ball finds only Hussey at midwicket, who takes a good catch above his head moving backwards. That's Pietersen's way, but it's so frustrating when he throws it away like that. McGrath has his 900th international wicket in his final Test.

0554: Over 58 Pietersen comes down the track but changes his mind halfway through the shot and blocks. The next ball, Pietersen shapes to sweep but changes his mind and instead drives down the ground for a single. Warne drops short to Bell who is quickly on the back foot to slap the ball into the gap at extra-cover.
England 1st Inns, 164/2: Bell 70*, Pietersen 38*

0550: Over 57 Bell misses out on a full-toss, driving straight to mid-on. But he cashes in on a short ball from McGrath, getting on top of the bounce and cutting hard behind point to the fence. A fine way to bring up an excellent 100 partnership.
England 1st Inns, 159/2: Bell 66*, Pietersen 38*

0547: Over 56 Good over from Warne, almost getting a quicker straight ball through Bell's defences. But Bell is equal to everything Warne throws at him, and keeps the strike with a single down the ground from the final ball of the over.
England 1st Inns, 155/2: Bell 62*, Pietersen 38*

0544: Over 55 Bell watchfully plays out McGrath's over, and gets a single on the legside from ball six.
England 1st Inns, 154/2: Bell 61*, Pietersen 38*

0540: Over 54 Pietersen uses his feet to get the ball down the ground for a single to put 150 on the board for England. Bell gets a single to deep mid-off next ball, and Pietersen gets another run with a hard sweep to deep midwicket. Bell gets a fourth single from the over with another push down the ground, and there's been no risk about any of them. Good batting.
England 1st Inns, 153/2: Bell 60*, Pietersen 38*

0537: Warne continues his spell.

0537: Over 53 McGrath starts with a maiden, but his line is a little wide of off stump and Bell lets several balls go harmlessly through to Gilchrist.
England 1st Inns, 149/2: Bell 58*, Pietersen 36*

0532: McGrath, who has had no luck today, will bowl the first over after tea.

0531: The players are back on the field for the final session of the opening day. There are 35 overs still to be bowled, so we won't finish until close to 0800 UK time.

0511: TEA
England, 1st Innings 149 for two
Two good sessions for England, with Bell and Pietersen mixing resolute defence with controlled aggression and some excellent running between the wickets. The partnership is worth 91 to date, and England really need these two to build on their good work, with a very long tail to come.

0511: Over 52 Easy single for Pietersen, pushing down the ground as Warne overpitches. Bell gets a single from a thick outside edge that squirts wide of slip. Spin there for Warne, and Bell just didn't get to the pitch.
England 1st Inns, 149/2: Bell 58*, Pietersen 36*

0508: Over 51 Bell works to leg, and Pietersen scurries a well-judged quick single after pushing to mid-on. Bell gets another single with a nurdle on the legside, and Pietersen adds another with a controlled hook shot.
England 1st Inns, 147/2: Bell 57*, Pietersen 35*

0505: Over 50 Just not happening for Warne at the moment, as Bell cuts another short ball behind point. The baffling sight of McGrath at cover-point enables Pietersen to run hard and get back for three. Good stuff from the two England batsmen. Pietersen hammers a drive down the ground, and only the stumps at the bowler's end save Aleem Dar's shins from a painful blow. The ball flies off to long-off, and Pietersen gets a single. A quicker ball from Warne alomost deceives Bell, but he manages to shovel it into the legside and get a run into the bargain.
England 1st Inns, 143/2: Bell 55*, Pietersen 33*

0502: Over 49 Bell clips to deep square-leg for a single, and Pietersen plays out Symonds' over in watchful defence.
England 1st Inns, 138/2: Bell 51*, Pietersen 32*

0458: Over 48 Bell pushes to mid-on to reach a dogged half-century. It's his fourth of the series, and sixth against Australia in total. He needs to convert this one into a first Ashes century. Just that one single from the over, with Pietersen content to defend.
England 1st Inns, 137/2: Bell 50*, Pietersen 32*

0455: Bell 50: 108 balls, 6 x 4s

0455: Over 47 Short ball from Symonds, and Pietersen murders it through midwicket for just one run with men stationed on the fence. Bell misses an attempted cut shot to a ball that bounces more than expected. Bell moves to 49, tucking the ball off his hips to deep square-leg for a single. A beauty from Symonds beats Pietersen, swinging late towards the slips.
England 1st Inns, 136/2: Bell 49*, Pietersen 32*

0451: Over 46 Good batting from Bell, skipping down the track and getting to the ball on the full before placing it perfectly into the gapt midwicket for four runs. Another full-toss from Warne, but this time Bell picks out the man at midwicket. Warne has posed very little threat thus far, with both batsmen looking to use their feet and doing so with some success.
England 1st Inns, 134/2: Bell 48*, Pietersen 31*

0447: Over 45 Pietersen works the ball to leg for a single. Bell gets three with a nice flick through midwicket as Symonds bowls one from wider of the crease. Pietersen gets a thick inside edge into the legside and runs hard again to get back for a second run, taking on a slightly weary McGrath in the deep. Pietersen's down the track to the final ball, but Symonds sees him coming and bangs one in short that Pietersen has to block.
England 1st Inns, 130/2: Bell 44*, Pietersen 31*

0443: Symonds is into the attack for the first time. Judging by the field settings, it's seam-up from Symonds today.

0442: Over 44 Short and wide from Warne, and Pietersen hammers it out to deep cover for a single. Good footwork from Bell to get to the pitch and ease the ball to deep mid-on for a simple run. Pietersen is down the ground again and miscues the ball to square-leg when aiming over long-on. Pietersen gets two, but a small victory for Warne. Another short ball from Warne is hit out to deep cover for a single, and England take five from that Warne over.
England 1st Inns, 124/2: Bell 41*, Pietersen 28*

0438: Over 43 A very short legside bouncer from Clark is rightly signalled a wide as clouds gather once again over the SCG. They don't look too threatening at present, but further rain is a possibility today. Pietersen works the ball to leg and runs very hard to get back for a second. Good cricket, because Hussey was quickly onto the ball but Pietersen got back comfortably. Pietersen gets a single with a pull to deep midwicket. Bell lets the last ball of the over pass, and batting might just be getting a bit easier for this pair. They must cash in after doing some hard groundwork.
England 1st Inns, 119/2: Bell 40*, Pietersen 24*

0434: Over 42 Easy single to deep mid-off for Bell as Warne tosses one up outside off stump. As in Melbourne, it seems to be taking Warne a couple of overs to get going. Pietersen helps himself to a single on the legside. Brave leave from Bell, watching one ball spine just past the off stump.
England 1st Inns, 115/2: Bell 40*, Pietersen 21*

0430: Over 41 Bell top-edges a hook, and is hugely fortunate to see the ball land safely between midwicket and mid-on after seeming to hang in the air for an age. Pietersen ducks under a legside bouncer and watches the last two balls of the over go through to the keeper.
England 1st Inns, 113/2: Bell 39*, Pietersen 20*

0426: Over 40 Pietersen immediately uses his feet to the legspinner, but Warne sees him coming and drops it short, forcing the batsman to defend. Pietersen does get to the pitch of one a few balls later and pushes down the ground for a leisurely single. Warne drops short to Bell, who rocks back and hits hard to the deep point fielder for a single. That last ball may have been the flipper, but whatever it was, it was short enough for Bell to play comfortably.
England 1st Inns, 112/2: Bell 38*, Pietersen 20*

0422: Sure enough, Warne is into the attack for the first time and the SCG erupts.

0421: Over 39 Pietersen works the ball through midwicket and looks for two, but has to settle for a single. An unplayabledelivery from Clark beats Bell's outside edge by inches after jagging away off the seam. To show it was no fluke, Clark repeats the trick next ball with exactly the same result. Bell survives however, and the crowd are getting excited by the sight of Warne loosening up at first slip.
England 1st Inns, 110/2: Bell 37*, Pietersen 19*

0417: Over 38 Great hook shot from Bell, hit straight into the ground and in front of square for four runs as McGrath tries to bounce the England number three. That's the 50 partnership between these two. England need several more, with just Collingwood to come before an out-of-form Flintoff and the tail.
England 1st Inns, 109/2: Bell 37*, Pietersen 18*

0412: Over 37 Just a single to Bell from another tidy Clark over. Australia have bowled well today, but England have now got a platform for a big score. This is very similar to the situation in the first innings in Melbourne before England's dramatic collapse.
England 1st Inns, 105/2: Bell 33*, Pietersen 18*

0408: Over 36 Bell squirts a drive off the outside half of the bat behind point for three runs. Pietersen charges down the ground again, but MCGrath fails to deliver the ball. The next ball is a yorker that Pietersen digs out.
England 1st Inns, 104/2: Bell 32*, Pietersen 18*

0404: Over 35 Pietersen is down the track to Clark, and turns a length ball into a half-volley and whips through midwicket for four. The 100 is up for England thanks to that extraordianry stroke from Pietersen. Pietersen ends the over in solid defence and he looks in better order now.
England 1st Inns, 101/2: Bell 29*, Pietersen 18*

0356: Drinks. really tough session for England, but so far they've done OK, losing just the one wicket. McGrath, Clark and Lee have all bowled beautifully since lunch without much luck. Bell has looked solid, while there are just signs that an out-of-sorts Pietersen might just be starting to get going.

0356: Over 34 Pietersen is again on the wlak to McGrath, and finally gets one through the packed offside for two runs. Curious-looking shot, but pretty effective. Another wander down the ground and flick to leg gets a single. Bell gets four with a thick edge all along the ground and wide of the slip cordon to the vacant third-man fence.
England 1st Inns, 97/2: Bell 29*, Pietersen 14*

0352: Over 33 Clark beats Pietersen again, but the right-hander finally reaches double figures with a whip through square-leg for two runs. A similar shot two balls later earns Pietersen another single.
England 1st Inns, 89/2: Bell 25*, Pietersen 11*

0348: Over 32 Bell lets three go through to Gilchrist, but is tempted to play at the fourth and misses. Still no luck for McGrath, who has bowled beautifully on day one of his final Test but still with nothing in the wickets column.
England 1st Inns, 86/2: Bell 25*, Pietersen 8*

0343: Over 31 Pietersen wanders down the ground twice in succession, but can't get the ball into any gaps. Pietersen lets the next two go through to the keeper, but there are signs that he's starting to get frustrated after almost an hour at the crease for just eight runs. Pietersen comes down the track again to the final ball of the over, but succeeds only in edging the ball just short of Ponting at second slip. Fine maiden over from Clark.
England 1st Inns, 86/2: Bell 25*, Pietersen 8*

0339: Clark is back into the attack as Ponting rotates his quicks once more. Still nothing from Warne with the ball yet.

0338: Over 30 Brilliant stuff from McGrath, jagging one back at Bell who getsa thick inside edge to the fine-leg boundary. Bell lets one go that passes perilously close to the off stump, and is then beaten by one that moves the other way off the surface. Great over, but the net result if four runs to Bell and England.
England 1st Inns, 86/2: Bell 25*, Pietersen 8*

0333: Over 29 Pietersen forces into the covers off the back foot, and gets through for a quick single despite Symonds being the fielder. Bell flicks the ball nicely through square-leg for three, and Pietersen gets a couple with a gloved pull to fine-leg. Pietersen forces the final ball of the over into the covers, but a diving stop by Clarke prevents any runs.
England 1st Inns, 82/2: Bell 21*, Pietersen 8*

0329: Over 28 Not for the first time in this series, Pietersen uses his feet to McGrath and works the ball into the legside for a single. Bell plays out the over, getting a thick inside edge into the legside to a ball that moved sharply off the seam.
England 1st Inns, 76/2: Bell 18*, Pietersen 5*

0325: Over 27 Bell easily sways out of the way of a fast short ball from Lee. Good spell this from Lee, and he jags a ball past Bell's outside edge at 91mph. A throat ball has Bell in a slightly awkward position, but he plays the ball very well, keeping the ball down off the splice of the bat. Good over from Lee, but pretty well played by the batsman as well.
England 1st Inns, 75/2: Bell 18*, Pietersen 4*

0321: Over 26 Nervy times for Pietersen who misses a lazy drive outside the off stump and then chips one just out of reach of the man in close at cover.
England 1st Inns, 75/2: Bell 18*, Pietersen 4*

0316: Over 25 Pietersen tucks a short ball from Lee into the legside and runs hard to get back for a second run. Pietersen blocks a short ball into the legside and gets through safely for a single despite Lee fielding smartly in his followthrough and throwing down the stumps.
England 1st Inns, 75/2: Bell 18*, Pietersen 4*

0312: Over 24 Bell works a McGrath no-ball into the legside for two runs. McGrath is annoyed at an uncharacteristically wayward delivery, but reverts to type for the remainder of the over.
England 1st Inns, 72/2: Bell 18*, Pietersen 1*

0308: McGrath is back into the attack in place of his heir apparent Clark.

0307: Over 23 Bell blocks a very full delivery into the covers and scampers through for a quick single. Pietersen fences at a ball he could have left alone but makes no contact. Pietersen seems to learn the lesson, and does let the last two balls of the over go through to the keeper.
England 1st Inns, 69/2: Bell 16*, Pietersen 1*

0303: Over 22 Bell gets three with a controlled edge wide of slip. Ponting saves the boundary with a nifty dragback after chasing from slip. Another good over from Clark, who has settled in on a line and length since lunch, and has once again moved clear of the pack as the leading wicket-taker in this series.
England 1st Inns, 68/2: Bell 15*, Pietersen 1*

0258: Over 21 The first ball of Lee's over cannons off Pietersen's pads for a leg-bye. Bell clips the ball through midwicket. Mike Hussey makes a great sliding stop on the boundary, but to no avail as the batsmen run four anyway. Bell fends a short ball into the legside off the glove for a single to retain the strike.
England 1st Inns, 65/2: Bell 12*, Pietersen 1*

0253: Over 20 Pietersen gets off the mark first ball, scampering a quick single after pushing into the covers. Bell is again troubled by a short ball that comes back at him, and the batsman has to take a blowon the body. Good pressure cricket from Australia here.
England 1st Inns, 59/2: Bell 7*, Pietersen 1*

0250: Kevin Pietersen comes in at number four with England just wobbling a touch.

0249: WICKET!
AN Cook c Gilchrist b Clark 20 The second wicket falls, and it's a combination of great bowling and fine wicketkeeping. Clark moves the ball back in to Cook, who gets an inside edge. Never easy for the keeper to change direction, but Gilchrist does so briliantly, diving away to his right and clinging on to a brilliant one-handed catch.

0248: Over 19 Two maiden overs immediately after lunch, with Lee creating some uncomfortable bounce that has Bell up on tiptoes a couple of times, but he plays those pretty well.
England 1st Inns, 58/1: Cook 20*, Bell 7*

0244: Lee to continue his successful spell after lunch.

0244: Over 18 More like it from Clark, starting the session with a maiden over to a watchful Cook.
England 1st Inns, 58/1: Cook 20*, Bell 7*

0239: Clark will bowl the first over of the session. Clark wasn't quite at his best this morning, but he'll no doubt get it right now.

0238: Ricky Ponting leads out his Australian side for the afternoon session, with Cook and Bell close behind.

0159: LUNCH
England, 1st Innings 58 for one
England will be reasonably happy to get through that awkward session just one wicket down, but the manner of Strauss' dismissal was a big disappointment. But an entertaining session, and the weather seems to have improved dramatically.

0159: Over 17 Four more to Cook from a thick edge, and Australia pay the price for having just two slips in place. They're targeting Cook for that sort of dismissal, so only having two slips seems a bit strange. Cook pushes to cover for a single to end the over.
England 1st Inns, 58/1: Cook 20*, Bell 7*

0155: Over 16 Lovely shot from Bell, clipping a leg-stump half-volley through square-leg for four to bring the 50 up for England. Just the boundary from Clark's over, with the bowler getting back on line after that one loose delivery.
England 1st Inns, 53/1: Cook 15*, Bell 7*

0150: Over 15 Great delivery first up from Lee to Bell, catching the batsman on the gloves. Bell does pretty well to keep it down, and gets off the mark with a couple as the ball goes through gully. The next ball is a very short bouncer that sails way over Bell's head and is signalled wide by Billy Bowden. Bell gets a single to deep square-leg from the final ball of a successful Lee over.
England 1st Inns, 49/1: Cook 15*, Bell 3*

0146: Bell is the new batsman for England.

0145: WICKET!
AJ Strauss c Gilchrist b Lee 29 Another England opening partnership is broken after a promising start, and the bowling change works instantly for Australia. It's a poor shot from Strauss, cutting at a ball neither short nor wide enough, and getting a healthy edge through to Gilchrist. Relief for Langer, as Strauss fails to punish Australia for that rare lapse in McGrath's final over.

0144: Lee is back into the attack, changing ends to replace McGrath.

0143: Over 14 Cook gets a single with a thick inside edge into the legside. England move to 40 without loss thanks to a wide from Clark way outside Strauss' off stump. A much better drive from Strauss gets two runs as Michael Clarke gives chase. This is now the highest opening partnership of the series for England. Strauss gets a thick inside edge into his pads that loops into the space where a short-leg would be, and gets two more runs with another drive on the up through the covers.
England1st Inns, 44/0: Strauss 29*, Cook 14*

0139: Over 13 Another good ball from McGrath, sliding past the outside edge with a hint of seam movement. Strauss gets a couple with a leading edge through point as he aims through mid-on. Strauss gets a life as Langer puts down a fairly regulation chance at third slip as Strauss edges an attempted drive. As always seems to happen after a dropped catch, the next ball disappears to the boundary, Strauss whipping the ball neatly through midwicket.
England 1st Inns, 38/0: Strauss 25*, Cook 13*

0135: Over 12 Cook drives hard but straight at Langer who fields smartly at extra-cover. Australia are targeting Cook with full deliveries slanted across the left-hander, and Cook gets a thick inside edge into the pads from one such delivery. Back-to-back maidens from McGrath and Clark.
England 1st Inns, 32/0: Strauss 19*, Cook 13*

0130: Over 11 McGrath beats Strauss with a beauty that jags away off the pitch. Top over from Pigeon straight after drinks, and it's a maiden.
England 1st Inns, 32/0: Strauss 19*, Cook 13*

0124: Drinks. Good start for England, but these have been the danger times throughout the series. Strauss and Cook have put on between 20 and 41 in each innings in this series without going on to make a single telling contribution. Perhaps today's the day.

0124: Over 10 Cook gets four with a drive that's in the air but safely in the gap between point and cover. Clark's line is generally a little wide, with Cook able to let the majority of balls go by.
England 1st Inns, 32/0: Strauss 19*, Cook 13*

0119: Stuart Clark is into the attack, the third New South Welshman in action on home turf with the ball.

0119: Over 9 Cook works the ball into the legside for a single. Strauss judges the line from McGrath quite nicely, letting a couple go through to the keeper and solidly blocking the final ball of the ninth over. The weather has improved dramatically in Sydney, with bright blue sky all round the ground.
England 1st Inns, 28/0: Strauss 19*, Cook 9*

0115: Over 8 Lee beats Cook again with a full swinging delivery that the batsman could do very little about. Cook makes good contact with the next ball, though, pushing down the ground and collecting three as Symonds reels the ball in just inside the rope. Strauss just gets his bat and gloves underneath a short delivery from Lee, but England have made a positive start here in Sydney.
England 1st Inns, 27/0: Strauss 19*, Cook 8*

0110: Over 7 Strauss tucks the ball away on the legside and hustles back for a second run as Lee does the fielding in the deep. The two is followed by three as Strauss rocks back and forces a back-of-a-length delivery through the covers. Cook works to leg for a single, and Strauss stoutly defends the final ball. Flintoff seems to have read this pitch pretty well - looks a batting day at the moment.
England 1st Inns, 24/0: Strauss 19*, Cook 5*

0106: Over 6 Cook faces just his seventh delivery, and tries to edge it through to the keeper but without success. Cook gets off the mark from his eight delivery with a solid push wide of Andrew Symonds at extra-cover. Two men are out on the hook, but Cook still takes on the short ball from Lee, but makes no contact as the ball sails high over the batsman's head. A flick to deep square-leg gets another two runs for Cook, who just has to hurry to get back safely. Good running.
England 1st Inns, 18/0: Strauss 14*, Cook 4*

0102: Over 5 Four more to Strauss from another outside edge. The ball goes in exactly the same gap as before, butall along the ground this time. Strauss plays around a straight delivery and survives a very confident leg-before shout from McGrath. Height can be the only thing that saved the batsman there. Another edge from Strauss falls just short of third slip as he copntinues to live dangerously. The fifth ball of McGrath's over beats the left-handed Strauss outside off stump, but the batsman ends a torrid over with a solid forward defensive.
England 1st Inns, 14/0: Strauss 14*, Cook 0*

0058: Over 4 Strauss gets a streaky boundary with a thick edge that perfectly splits third slip and gully. Lee responds with a fast delivery that jags back at Strauss and strikes the batsman in the midriff. Tricky start for England, but so far they're unscathed as Strauss adds a single from the final ball of the over.
England 1st Inns, 10/0: Strauss 10*, Cook 0*

0054: Over 3 Strauss gets two more with a controlled push down the ground. The outfield is very slow after all the rain, so boundaries may be hard to come by. Strauss retains the strike with a nurdled single on the legside.
England 1st Inns, 5/0: Strauss 5*, Cook 0*

0050: Over 2 Lee's first ball swings in dramatically and strikes Cook in a particularly painful spot. Cook is doubled up in agony, and Lee wanders down to wish him happy new year. How thoughtful. Lee completes a maiden over with a good ball that beats Cook's indeterminate waft outside off stump.
England 1st Inns, 2/0: Strauss 2*, Cook 0*

0046: Brett Lee will share the new ball.

0045: Over 1 Strauss clips McGrath's third delivery through midwicket for a couple to open his and England's account. He lets the last three balls of the over go safely through to Adam Gilchrist.
England 1st Inns, 2/0: Strauss 2*, Cook 0*

0040: McGrath will bowl the first over of his final Test, with Strauss on strike.

0039: The three retiring Aussies lead the side out to a huge ovation in Sydney. The rest of the Australians follow with Cook and Strauss behind them.

0034: Bright sunshine now in Sydney, but there remains the threat of further interruptions today. But, weather permitting, the revised hours of play are above.

0027: The British national anthem is butchered by an Aussie for the final time in this series. They are definitely doing it deliberately. Ian Bell shows his confidence in the openers by wearing his pads for the anthems, clearly fearing Alastair Cook or Andrew Strauss might nick off during Advance Australia Fair. Which, to be fair, is also sung terribly by what appears to be a low-budget version of G4, if such a thing is possible.

0012: England win the toss and bat first. Flintoff might have just make the exact mistake he made in Melbourne...

0003: The covers are coming off again, so we should get the toss sometime pretty soon.

2355: There's still some drizzle in the air, but it has eased off slightly. Covers are still on, and there's no prospect of play in the immediate future. We still haven't even had the toss.

2330: The Aussie legends are going to have to wait for their final appearance. The full covers are coming on now, so the midnight start looks extremely unlikely.

2324: It's started drizzling again in Sydney, so the slightly green pitch is being covered again, but only hessian matting at the moment.

2320: It promises to be an emotional match in Sydney, with three of the mainstays of the Australian side retiring at its end. If the weather stays fair, it's pretty hard to see Australia failing to give Warne, McGrath and Langer the send-off they deserve.

2310: Matthew Hoggard has been ruledout with a side strain. James Anderson comes in for the Yorkshireman in the sole change from Melbourne, so rumours about Jamie Dalrymple or Ed Joyce coming in prove unfounded. Australia are unchanged.

England Team: A Strauss, A Cook, I Bell, P Collingwood, K Pietersen, A Flintoff (capt), C Read (wkt), S Mahmood, S Harmison, J Anderson, M Panesar.

2303: Play should be getting started just 30 minutes behind schedule in Sydney, meaning a midnight start, UK time.

2244: The overnight rain has relented in Sydney, allowing the groundstaff to remove the covers, but an on-time start still appears unlikely with the ground very wet. Further showers are forecast throughout the day, so it could be a busy one for the SCG staff.