sydney d2 commentary

0724: Over 55 Symonds and Hussey take a single apiece off the first two balls, then Symonds skips down the pitch and hammers it down the ground for four. He then tries another heave which comes off the toe of the bat and is very fortunate not to go to a fielder. They take two, then he pushes down the ground for one to give Hussey the strike for the last ball, much to the relief of Ricky Ponting. Hussey very, very deliberately defends back down the pitch and that's stumps.

Australia 1st Inns, 188-4: Hussey 37*, Symonds 22*.

0721: Anderson's work for the day is done and Panesar will bowl the last over.

0720: Over 54 Some more evidence of a two-paced pitch, as Harmison bangs one in short that thuds into keeper Read's pads on the second bounce. And then a quick one whistles through past Symonds' ribcage. Could be an interesting fourth innings if this pitch deteriorates any more. Symonds then pushes one through the covers for a single. Harmison tries a quick yorker to end his spell for the day, and he's bowled pretty well. Not the Harmy of 2003/4, but getting there.

Australia 1st Inns, 179-4: Hussey 36*, Symonds 14*.

0715: Over 53 Ye gods - Symonds unleashes the cover drive and dispatches Anderson to the boundary. Good shot, and the worry for England is that he looks so comfortable. Symonds then turns one off his hip for a single down to fine leg. And another cracking off drive gives Australia another four - this time from Hussey. Good batting, but Anderson has rather served these ones up for them. However, he follows up with a cracking quick one over off-stump.

Australia 1st Inns, 178-4: Hussey 36*, Symonds 13*.

0710: Over 52 Harmison tries a different tack against Hussey, by going around the wicket, but gives him the chance to leave the ball anyway by bowling too short. While a good idea, Harmison's change of angle doesn't pay off and it's another relatively easy over for Hussey. Three overs left in the day's play.

Australia 1st Inns, 169-4: Hussey 32*, Symonds 8*.

0706: Over 51 It's now Anderson's turn to be ignored by the Australian batsman, and they duly either leave or dead-bat every ball. Another maiden.

Australia 1st Inns, 168-4: Hussey 32*, Symonds 7*.

0701: Over 50 Australia seem pretty happy just to see this one out now, not playing at anything unless they have to. Hussey clips one off his legs for a single down to fine leg, which gives Symonds the chance to ignore a few Harmison deliveries.

Australia 1st Inns, 168-4: Hussey 32*, Symonds 7*.

0658: Over 49 Anderson bowls another tidy over, not exactly threatening but not giving too many scoring chances to Symonds either. Another maiden - that's his sixth of the innings.

Australia 1st Inns, 167-4: Hussey 31*, Symonds 7*.

0655: Over 48 Symonds turns a Harmison ball down to fine leg for a single - actually that's signalled a leg bye - then Hussey very nearly misjudges a leave outside off stump. Just the single comes from the over.

Australia 1st Inns, 167-4: Hussey 31*, Symonds 7*.

0651: Over 47 The England supporters get excited briefly after Bell picks a Symonds drive out of the air. Unfortunately they (like me initially) didn't spot it had cannoned into the ground first. Symonds steals a quick single, before Hussey glances one down to fine leg for a couple. Hussey gets solidly in behind Anderson's last delivery.

Australia 1st Inns, 166-4: Hussey 31*, Symonds 7*.

0647: Over 46 Harmison starts his next over with an absolute snorter that misses Hussey's outside edge by a whisker. Great bowling. Unfortunately the very next ball is so wide that Hussey can have little or nothing to do with it, and the rest of the over passes without much drama.

Australia 1st Inns, 163-4: Hussey 29*, Symonds 7*.

0643: Over 45 Symonds takes a big gamble by cutting very hard at a ball pretty close to him. Luckily for him it flies just over the slips and to the boundary for four. Better stuff from Anderson from the rest of the over, not giving Symonds any room to play shots. The last ball gets a big shout for LBW, but there was an inside edge on that. Not out, and a good decision.

Australia 1st Inns, 163-4: Hussey 29*, Symonds 7*.

0638: Jimmy Anderson will bowl from the other end for England.

0637: Over 44 Harmison starts off with a wide, then Symonds guides one down to third man and the batsmen scamper through for three. Harmison angles the rest of the over across Hussey, with the left-hander only playing one of them

Australia 1st Inns, 159-4: Hussey 29*, Symonds 3*.

0635: Play is underway, with Steve Harmison bowling to new batsman Andrew Symonds.

0631: Good news people - the umpires are on their way out and play should begin in the next couple of minutes....in fact, here come the teams. Play can go on until approximately 0730 GMT.

0629: The covers are completely off now, but still no official word on when play will start again.

0617: Brief pictures of Andrew Flintoff prowling the outfield gets hopes up, and now the covers seem to be coming off. Good news, but how long will we actually get tonight/this morning?

0608: There looks to be a bit of action involving the SCG groundstaff and tractors. Whether that is a good sign or not is unclear at the moment.

0549: It looks like the rain might be relenting slightly, but theres no way of telling when play will start up again.

0533: The covers are on at the Sydney Cricket Ground, and the rain looks rather heavy. We could be in for a bit of a wait I'm afraid.

0527: Andrew Symonds is due in next, but just as the wicket goes down the rain gets heavier, and the umpires take the players off. Great wicket for England, Australia are now 155-4.

0525: WICKET

M Clarke c Read b Harmison 11

This is getting interesting now. Australia have been accumulating the runs, but that wicket has been on the cards. Harmison bowls one that gets very big on Clarke, who tries a bit of a nothing waft at it, and feathers through to Read.

0524: Over 43 Panesar has a big leg before shout against Clarke, but Bowden says no. That looked very close indeed. Four singles from the over.

Australia 1st Inns, 155-3: Hussey 29*, Clarke 11*.

0521: Over 42 Harmison seems to have decided that the best way to get Hussey out is to bowl at his throat, which is threatening when it works, but a wide when it doesn't. Clarke flings the bat at a wide one and misses, and the howls from Read suggests that was close. Two singles from the over.

Australia 1st Inns, 151-3: Hussey 28*, Clarke 9*.

0517: Over 41 Clarke takes a single from Panesar, then Monty goes millimetres away from both Hussey's outside edge and off-stump. He then gets off strike with a single, then they get a bonus run as Pietersen's wayward throw isn't claimed by Read.

Australia 1st Inns, 149-3: Hussey 27*, Clarke 8*.

0513: Over 40 Harmison sends down a tidy over, and Hussey does well to dig out a toe-crushing yorker from the last ball of the over.

Australia 1st Inns, 145-3: Hussey 25*, Clarke 6*.

0510: Harmison is on for Anderson.

0509: Over 39 There's a little rain in the air at Sydney as Panesar starts a new over. Clarke turns him round the corner for two, then grabs another single. Hussey then has another uncertain prod and the bat-pad chance falls inches short of Bell. He then escapes the strike with a single through point.

Australia 1st Inns, 145-3: Hussey 25*, Clarke 6*.

0509: Over 39 There's a little rain in the air at Sydney as Panesar starts a new over. Clarke turns him round the corner for two, then grabs another single. Hussey then has another uncertain prod and the bat-pad chance falls inches short of Bell. He then escapes the strike with a single through point.

Australia 1st Inns, 145-3: Hussey 25*, Clarke 6*.

0506: Over 38 More tidy stuff from Anderson, until Hussey plays an excellent cover drive for four. Anderson then comes back with a brilliant off cutter that goes past Hussey's outside edge. In a rollercoaster over, Hussey then pulls a long-hop over the rope for six at fine leg. Unlucky for Anderson.

Australia 1st Inns, 141-3: Hussey 20*, Clarke 5*.

0503: Over 37 Hussey manages to steal a single off Panesar, then Clarke plays a wonderful late cut down to the vacant third man region for four runs. Pietersen makes a heroic attempt to save the ball, but to no avail.

Australia 1st Inns, 131-3: Hussey 10*, Clarke 5*.

0458: Over 36 Anderson puts in another tidy showing, getting most in and around off stump. However, you feel that a poor ball is only a heartbeat away with Jimmy. Interestingly, the penultimate ball of the over keeps a little low on Clarke and he has to prod a little, which makes his decision to leave a swinging last delivery on length a little odd. He gets away with it, and it's another maiden.

Australia 1st Inns, 126-3: Hussey 9*, Clarke 1*.

0454: Over 35 While he never really looks that flustered, it seems that Monty might hve Hussey a little worried. He poked and prodded at that over, and squirted one along the ground to slip. Maiden.

Australia 1st Inns, 126-3: Hussey 9*, Clarke 1*.

0451: Over 34 Another good over from Anderson. One ball in particular has Clarke in a bit of bother, and the (relative) youngster inside edges for a single to mid-wicket. Hussey then pushes another quick single off the last ball.

Australia 1st Inns, 126-3: Hussey 9*, Clarke 1*.

0448: Over 33 Hussey has a lucky escape, when he pulls back for a big drive, checks it and the ball pops up for Strauss, but the opener had started to duck, and thus misses the chance. He then slaps a rare Panesar long-hop over mid-wicket for four.

Australia 1st Inns, 124-3: Hussey 8*, Clarke 0*.

0446:Michael Clarke is the new man in.

0445: WICKET

R Ponting run out (Anderson) 45

Panesar tosses one up to Ponting, who drives firmly to mid-on and takes a swift single. Anderson shies at the stumps - it's a direct hit, and Ponting is a couple of feet out. Never a run there, but good work from the Lancashire bowler.

0442: Over 32 Anderson puts a good few balls across Mike Hussey, who looked very sheepish after that appeal against him in the last over. Maiden over.

Australia 1st Inns, 118-2: Ponting 45*, Hussey 4*.

0438: Over 31 Panesar continues after tea, and straight away has a massive shout for a caught behind against Hussey. Bowden says no, and after three or four replays it's still difficult to tell. Brilliant take by Chris Read either way. Hussey then pushes to mid-on for a single, and at the end of the over Bowden has a quick wordwith Monty about his celebration/appeal after that Hussey chance.

Australia 1st Inns, 118-2: Ponting 45*, Hussey 4*.

0435: Over 30 Jimmy Anderson opens the bowling for England in this evening session, and is firmly slapped to the ropes by a Ricky Ponting pull. Basic stuff that - don't bowl short to Ponting....and he does it again. In front of square that time, but the result is the same.

Australia 1st Inns, 117-2: Ponting 45*, Hussey 3*.

0413: TEA

Australia have rattled along at just shy of four an over, which suggests that England have bowled terribly, which they haven't. Trouble is, they haven't bowled that well either. Anderson found some early swing, but to be honest his wicket was a touch fortunate. Flintoff clearly isn't fit to bowl at full pelt, while Harmison is his usual erratic self.

If Ponting and Hussey get themselves in during the evening session, then England could have massive, massive problems. Join us again for the last couple of hours play - they start up again at 0430 GMT.

0412: Over 29 Just time for one more over before tea. Panesar attacks Hussey with three men around the bat, and tries the mother of all optimistic appeals as Hussey pads up a couple of yards outside off. The first five balls keep Hussey where he is, then he clips the last for two to square leg. That's tea.

Australia 1st Inns, 109-2: Ponting 37*, Hussey 3*.

0408: Over 28 Harmison gives Hussey a brute first off, but Mr Cricket does well to firstly keep it down, then steal a single. Harmison then drifts on to Ponting's legs and it goes to the fine boundary for four - leg byes are signalled. The rest of the over is pretty tidy, and no more runs come from it.

Australia 1st Inns, 107-2: Ponting 37*, Hussey 1*.

0406: Over 27 Panesar skids one in to Ponting that hurries the Australian captain rather, then he clips to the on side and scampers two. Monty keeps the rest of the over tight, then has Ponting reaching for one with the last ball of the over.

Australia 1st Inns, 102-2: Ponting 37*, Hussey 0*.

0403: Over 26 Hussey's first couple are a bit erratic, then he edges one all along the ground to the slips. Wicket maiden for Steve Harmison.

Australia 1st Inns, 100-2: Ponting 35*, Hussey 0*.

0401: Good news England fans - Hayden is out, so here comes Mike Hussey with a Test average of 82.11.

0400: WICKET

M Hayden c Collingwood b Harmison 33

Good line and OK length from Harmison for the first couple of balls, but England need more than that.....and Harmison then bowls a short and wide one that should be nestling in the stands, but instead Hayden cuts straight to Collingwood in the slips.

0357: Over 25 Ponting grabs a single, then Hayden skips down the pitch to Panesar, but only manages a push down the pitch for one. Ponting then latches on to a short one and smacks it to the fence for four runs.

Australia 1st Inns, 100-1: Hayden 33*, Ponting 35*.

0354: Over 24 Harmison raps Hayden on the pads which gets a massive appeal from Pietersen at gully. KP obviously couldn't tell that pitched about three feet outside leg stump. Harmison gets one to really lift - to the extent that Read took it somewhere around his throat - but it was a long way across the left-handed Hayden. A good over from Harmison.

Australia 1st Inns, 94-1: Hayden 32*, Ponting 30*.

0350: Over 23 Quite a defensive field set for Panesar, and his first couple of balls are on target but Ponting pushes a single into the off side. Great fielding off his own bowling from Monty ashe dives to stop a firm Hayden drive, but he can't do much about the next ball that goes to mid-wicket. Two runs from a decent first over from Panesar.

Australia 1st Inns, 94-1: Hayden 32*, Ponting 30*.

0346: And there you go - Monty is coming on to take the place of Sajid Mahmood.

0345: Over 22 Harmison starts off well enough, and Ponting makes a risky leave outisde off stump. Harmison then gets one to jump a little, perhaps a sign of some indifferent bounce. Pointing squeezes a single into the leg side, and Panesar is limbering up.

Australia 1st Inns, 92-1: Hayden 31*, Ponting 29*.

0342: Harmison is back into the attack, replacing Flintoff, who managed just three overs in that spell.

0341: Over 21 Billy Bowden looks concerned about where Mahmood is running on the pitch, and almost gives the Lancashire seamer a warning. After a three from Ponting, Hayden hits a great on drive to the fence for another four.

Australia 1st Inns, 91-1: Hayden 31*, Ponting 28*.

0337: Over 20 Ponting shows why he is the best batsman in the world by cutting a Flintoff ball that wasn't that short nor that wide to the fence for four. The next climbs and on another day is might have looped up to waiting fielder off the shoulder of Ponting's bat. The Australian captain the tucks one into the leg side for a single.

Australia 1st Inns, 84-1: Hayden 27*, Ponting 26*.

0332: Over 19 More cheers as Monty cuts off a Hayden clip to deep backward square, then Mahmood appeals for leg before, but it was probably pitching outside leg and missing the same stump. The rest of the over is tidy, and no more runs come from it.

Australia 1st Inns, 79-1: Hayden 27*, Ponting 20*.

0329: Over 18 Flintoff starts his over well, but then serves up a nice short and wide one that Ponting dispatches expertly to the cover boundary. After a couple of nice tight deliveries he strays on to the leg stump, and Ponting picks up another couple.

Australia 1st Inns, 77-1: Hayden 25*, Ponting 20*.

0325: Over 17 Mahmood starts another over promisingly, nothing on the pads this time. In fact, he seesm to be re-discovering the lost art of line and length.....apart from the last ball that slips out of Mahmood's hand and hits Ponting's hip on the full. One leg-bye is taken, and that one very nearly qualifies as a beamer.

Australia 1st Inns, 71-1: Hayden 25*, Ponting 14*.

0320: Over 16 Flintoff opens with a stinker, that Aleem Dar quite rightly calls wide. The next few are much better, in and around the off stump area, indeed there are some terribly excited noises from the keeper and slips.

Australia 1st Inns, 70-1: Hayden 25*, Ponting 14*.

0317: After the drinks, Flintoff is back on, probably for just the three or four overs again.

0313:The players take drinks, with Australia firmly on top. Who would've predicted that, eh?

0312: Over 15 Great cheers ring around th SCG as Monty fields well on the boundary to restrict Ponting to a single. Hayden then hammers one off his pads to the mid-wicket boundary, and Australia are racing along here. Hayden then completes the over by pulling down the deep backward square for one.

Australia 1st Inns, 69-1: Hayden 25*, Ponting 14*.

0308: Sajid Mahmood will come into the England attack to replace Harmison.

0307: Over 14 Hayden again hits hard through the covers but only gathers a single. Then Ponting does well to keep on top of a rising ball from Anderson to push three through the off side. Hayden then clips a legside four, before slightly mis-cueing a drive along the ground to Collingwood at point.

Australia 1st Inns, 63-1: Hayden 20*, Ponting 13*.

0303: Over 13 Ponting grabs a three, then Hayden flashes one through the covers that only brings him the one.

Australia 1st Inns, 55-1: Hayden 15*, Ponting 10*.

0259: Over 12 Ponting gets off the mark after Anderson commits the cardinal sin of straying onto the skipper's legs, and he casually clips through fine leg for four. The next ball is straighter, but Ponting pushes down the ground for a leisurely two. Tasmania's premier George Bush look-a-like then grabs another three with a steady push through extra cover, and the Australian fifty is up.

Australia 1st Inns, 51-1: Hayden 12*, Ponting 9*.

0255: Over 11 Hayden dead bats a couple, then flashes one to the point boundary to double his score. The second half of the over is a mirror image, only this time the four comes through deep square leg, despite the bounding efforts of Monty.

Australia 1st Inns, 42-1: Hayden 12*, Ponting 0*.

0251: Over 10 Ponting leaves his first couple of deliveries, then Anderson gets one to nip away from off stump, beating the edge. Good over from Anderson after that big wide first up.

Australia 1st Inns, 34-1: Hayden 4*, Ponting 0*.

0248: Ricky Ponting is the new batsman for Australia.

0247: WICKET

J Langer c Read b Anderson 26

Anderson opens his next over with a wide that could've been called for both height and width. He then bowls one at Langer's hips that the retiring opener gloves down the leg-side to a grateful Read behind the stumps. It will be unfortunate tf that is to be Langer's last act as a Test batsman, but England have a breakthrough.

0244: Over 9 Langer again tries to take Ian Bell's head off, and gets a couple down to deep backward square. Harmison pitches one up and nearly sneaks past Langer's pads, but he just flicks it round the corner and takes a single. He then shows a little more menace by getting one to jump up into Hayden's 'midriff', who next ball hits a clean off-drive straight to Bell at that short mid-off position that England insist on keeping in. Apparently it 'confuses' Hayden.

Australia 1st Inns, 33-0: Langer 26*, Hayden 4*.

0240: Over 8 Anderson looks to be pitching the ball up a little more in this over, looking to make more of the swing he is occasionally getting. Hayden blocks the first half of the over, then goes for a trademark off-side club, which is stopped by a tumbling Harmison at mid-off.

Australia 1st Inns, 30-0: Langer 23*, Hayden 4*.

0237: Over 7 Harmison's first is a proper loosener, short and wide outside off stump, which Langer swats away with some degree of contempt. After a couple of straighter ones that Langer blocks, ball one is repeated, but Langer doesn't quite get hold of that one and they get three. Hayden clips a single off his legs from the last ball.

Australia 1st Inns, 30-0: Langer 23*, Hayden 4*.

0233: Flintoff has had quite enough of his own profligacy, so replaces himself with Steve Harmison.

0232: Over 6 Anderson gallops in for another tidy few balls, and Aleem Dar gives him a brief talking to for running on the danger area. Hayden hits one straight back at Anderson, who flings the ball at the stumps, seemingly unaware that Hayden's substantial frame is in the way, and the big opener casually flicks the ball away into the leg side. Another maiden from Anderson.

Australia 1st Inns, 22-0: Langer 16*, Hayden 3*.

0228: Over 5 Flintoff bowls a couple of tidy deliveries that Langer gets behind well enough, but with just enough edge to offer encouragement. Langer then hits a nice square drive through point for four, then nearly brains Bell at short leg with a mis-cued pull, and one run is scored.

Australia 1st Inns, 22-0: Langer 16*, Hayden 3*.

0223: Over 4 Anderson begins his next over well, showing more than a hint of that swing in to the left handers. Hayden seems intent on leaving these deliveries that are swinging from a good length, which could spell trouble later on. Hayden pats the last ball back down the pitch and Anderson completes a maiden.

Australia 1st Inns, 15-0: Langer 11*, Hayden 3*.

0220: Over 3 Flintoff continues from the other end, and Langer immediately launches at one that goes a little uppishly - but safely - to the long-off boundary for four. Langer then scampers through for a single, as does Hayden from the next ball. Flintoff then oversteps for a no-ball, then Langer tries a pretty poor leave that hits his pads, and may have been clipping the off-stump, but we'll let Bowden off for saying not out. Langer completes the over by nudging down to fine leg for two.

Australia 1st Inns, 15-0: Langer 11*, Hayden 3*.

0213: Over 2 Anderson fires his first one down the leg side, then gets late swing on a ball that Hayden tries to leave but thuds into his pads. Loud and very optimistic appeals are turned down on the basis that it was going at least a foot over. Encouraging swing for Anderson though. Hayden then takes one off leg-stump and trots through for a couple.

Australia 1st Inns, 6-0: Langer 4*, Hayden 2*.

0210: Both teams are back out for the afternoon session, and there's something of a surprise already - Jimmy Anderson will take the new ball ahead of Steve Harmison.

LUNCH:

Australia 4-0, England 291 all out.

Without doubt Australia's morning, but England will be heartened by the confirmed return to batting form of Andrew Flintoff. He played splendidly for his 89, and spoiled it somewhat by playing a rash shot to get out.

0130: Over 1 Langer and Hayden come out for (probably) the penultimate time as a Test opening pair. Flintoff takes the new ball again, and the only over before the lunch break passes without incident until ball five, when Langer pulls powerfully behind square for four runs. Lunch is called, and Australia will be very happy with their morning's work.

Australia 1st Inns, 4-0: Langer 4*, Hayden 0*.

0120: Australia will bat for just the one over before lunch. Try explaining that to someone who is a stranger to the game, but it's these little foibles that make us love it so.

0119: WICKET

M Panesar lbw b Warne 0

Warne gets another crack at Panesar, who again displays some smooth, elegant strokeplay....before trying to sweep one and is caught absolutely stone dead in front by Warne, for his 1,000th wicket in international cricket. Yet again, unbelievable stuff from this genius. England all out for 291.

0116: Over 103 New batsman Anderson does well to block out the rest of Clark's over, but surely Flintoff will be desperately disappointed getting out to a shot like that. Needless.

England 1st Inns, 291-9: Panesar 0*, Anderson 0*.

0112: Jimmy Anderson is the new man.

0111: WICKET

A Flintoff c Gilchrist b S Clark 89

Oh Freddie. After Panesar shows he's no mug by surviving a Warne over, Flintoff charges down the pitch and tries to launch a Clark delivery that wasn't there to smack, and he edges behind, where Gilchrist takes agood catch.

0109: Over 102 Flintoff looks for a big sweep off Warne, but doesn't quite get hold of it and has to settle for a single. Massive applause from around the ground as Monty simply survives a couple, if only just as one slides past the outside edge. Monty then plays a classical off-drive straight for no run, and lets a mig leg-spinner turn past his pads.

England 1st Inns, 291-8: Flintoff 89*, Panesar 0*.

0106: Over 101 Clark inevitably looks to rough Monty up with a few short ones, which Panesar deals with pretty....no, forget that, very well. Then as he expects a fourth short one, Clark pitches up and he edges to the slips....but Langer - Langer! Again! - drops a fairly simple, if low chance. Monty survives the last couple, but Flintoff may have to hurry along.

England 1st Inns, 290-8: Flintoff 88*, Panesar 0*.

0102: Over 100 Flintoff sweeps from way outside leg to get a couple, then rocks back a smacks a shortish Warne ball towards the off side fence, but again just gets the two. He then skips down the pitch and hits over mid-on to take him to 88. Strangled cries of catch there, as Flintoff took his bottom hand off the bat as he struck that boundary.

England 1st Inns, 290-8: Flintoff 88*, Panesar 0*.

0058: Monty Panesar strides out to the middle. This innings might not last too much longer, so Flintoff may look for some shots to get that 100.

0057: WICKET

S Harmison lbw b S Clark 2

Flintoff turns down another single from an aerial on-drive, then a couple of balls later opens the face and pushes hard for two. Good running, and the England captain deserves to get a century from here. Next ball he repeats the trick with a slightly more deliberate, loftier effort. The second last brings a single, then Clark hits Harmison's toes with an excellent yorker. Plumb LBW, and England are eight down.

0052: Over 98 Flintoff guides Warne's first ball through mid-on for two, and in coming back for the second Harmison dives so early he's almost getting back up again when the ball finally arrives. Warne then has a shout for LBW that pitched just outside leg stump, and Flintoff takes a single of the fifth. Warne screams for another leg-before off the last ball, and does his usual child-who-has-had-his-teddy-stolen routine when Aleem Dar says no.

England 1st Inns, 277-7: Flintoff 77*, Harmison 2*.

0048: And Warne is back on, in place of McGrath.

0047: Over 97 Clark now has an over at Harmison, who keeps the first couple out well. The third is a great away nipper that beats Harmison easily, but he has to expect two or three of those an over. The big bowler tries to get out of the way of the penultimate ball of the over, but it hits the withdrawing bat and bounces once through to third slip. The most interesting - and potentially terrifying - thing about that over was the sight of Shane Warne loosening up at first slip.

England 1st Inns, 274-7: Flintoff 74*, Harmison 2*.

0043: Over 96 Ricky Ponting seems to have fallen into the old trap of purely trying to get the tail ender on strike by giving the batsman easy ones, and not making much of an effort to get Flintoff out. Trouble is, Flintoff has seen through this cunning ploy and isn't taking the singles. Flintoff deals with the first four easily, before chasing a wide one and almost nicking behind. The last ball is a 'bouncer' from McGrath, which is almost on it's way back down before it reaches the batsman. It loops through to Gilchrist and no run is taken.

England 1st Inns, 274-7: Flintoff 74*, Harmison 2*.

0035Drinks takenas that bizarre massive Gatorade truck trundles out to provide refreshment.

0034: Over 95 Flintoff blocks the first few of Clark's over, then on-drives through mid-wicketish for a couple, then takes an easy one down the ground from the second last ball. Harmison solidly blocks the last.

England 1st Inns, 274-7: Flintoff 74*, Harmison 2*.

0030: First bowling change of the day. Lee comes off after a magic spell which brought him two wickets, and Stuart Clark will replace him.

0029: Over 94 Harmison deals with a McGrath over pretty well, with a couple of sturdy forward defensives and some well judged leaves. Slight miscue off the last ball as he tries a Pietersenian whip through the leg side, but that looked pretty comfortable.

England 1st Inns, 271-7: Flintoff 71*, Harmison 2*.

0024: Over 93 After some pretty solid defence from Flintoff, Lee tries to soften the captain up with a short one, which is far too short. Flintoff gets the customary daft boos for turning down an easy single down to long-off, then shuts the boos up with a lovely backfoot drive through the covers for four. He finishes the over by clubbing the ball straight back down the ground for another boundary, which nearly took Billy Bowden's knees off.

England 1st Inns, 271-7: Flintoff 71*, Harmison 2*.

0020: Over 92 This has been a tremendous opening spell of bowling from both McGrath and particularly Brett Lee, and you couldn't attribute much blame to any of the England batsmen for their wickets. Flintoff tidily keeps out the first four balls of the 92nd over, before edging one along the ground to third man for a single, then Harmison blocks the last.

England 1st Inns, 263-7: Flintoff 63*, Harmison 2*.

0016: Over 91 Flintoff survives the hat-trick ball, which is well wide of off, and again takes a single from ball two to expose Harmison. The world's most under-qualified number nine then nicely clips one off his toes for two, before surviving a close LBW shout and a two quick away-nippers past his outside edge.

England 1st Inns, 262-7: Flintoff 62*, Harmison 2*.

0010: Over 90 Flintoff has few thoughts of protecting Harmison, taking a single off the second ball of McGrath's over. The Durham bowler does as well as can be expected for the rest of the over, in that he remains at the crease, despite a couple that whistled past the outside edge.

England 1st Inns, 259-7: Flintoff 61*, Harmison 0*.

0006: Steve Harmison comes to the crease with England bang in trouble at 258-7.

0005: WICKET

S Mahmood c Hayden b Lee - 0

Lee is on a hat-trick at the start of the next over as Mahmood is squared up by another quick rising delivery. The ball loops off the shoulder of Mahmood's bat and into Hayden's waiting hands at gully.

0004 England's famous tail are now exposed, with Mahmood coming in at eight.

0002: WICKET

C Read c Gilchrist b Lee - 2

Lee steams in again and Flintoff flings his bat at a wide one which skids through gully for another four. He then prods one into a big gap at extra-cover to skip through for a single. Read then survives a big shout for LBW, and in amongst Lee's imploring screams the batsmen scramble a couple. Read then fends a rising delivery into Glichrist's gloves behind the stumps.

2358: Over 88 Flintoff squeezes a run after some wide ones from McGrath, then Read - looking understandably jumpy - makes a wee bit of a meal of the rest of the over, but survives.

England 1st Inns, 251-5: Flintoff 56*, Read 0*.

2354: Over 87 Flintoff responds to that blow by guiding a Lee lifter down to third man for a boundary. The next few pass without danger, then grabs a single to expose Read, but the Notts 'keeper survives a couple.

England 1st Inns, 250-5: Flintoff 55*, Read 0*.

2350: Chris Read is the new man in.

2348: WICKET!

Collingwood c Gilchrist b McGrath 25 - Flintoff reaches his fifty with an off-drive that initially looked like a cert for the fence, but slowed up enough for Andrew Symonds to restrict England to three. Collingwood deals with the next few well enough, before McGrath bowls him an absolute jaffa that bounces and seams its way to Collingwood's outside edge, and Gilcrhist does the rest.

2343: Over 85 Collingwood - never the most elegant of batsmen - tries a couple of pretty ugly drives from the first two, neither of which get anywhere near the bat. Sensibly he opts to leave the next one, before prodding unconvincingly at one. The Durham man then makes his first useful contributions of the day by nailing one straight back at Lee and catching him in the midriff, then clipping the last ball off his pads for two.

England 1st Inns, 242-4: Collingwood 27*, Flintoff 47*.

2338: Over 84 McGrath nips one back at Flintoff who is struck on the pad (going so far down leg even the Aussies don't bother appealling). The next few seem to hit exactly the same spot outside off, before McGrath cuts Flintoff in half with one that comes in off the seam. A maiden.

England 1st Inns, 240-4: Collingwood 25*, Flintoff 47*.

2334: Over 83 Lee opens the third over of the day with an absolute peach, pitching up to Flintoff who's tempted into the drive, but a touch of away swing takes it past the outside edge. The rest of the over passes without too much drama, before Flintoff nicks a quick leg-bye off the last ball to retain the strike.

England 1st Inns, 240-4: Collingwood 25*, Flintoff 47*.

2329: Over 82 Glenn McGrath will open from the other end, and is right on target straight away, but you didn't need me to tell me that. He then gets one to climb on the England captain who edges one through the slips for four. Flintoff turns one down to fine leg off the last ball for a single.

England 1st Inns, 239-4: Collingwood 25*, Flintoff 47*.

2324: Over 81 There's movement straight away from Lee, but Collingwood can let the first couple go by comfortably outside off stump. Collingwood then edges one to Langer at third slip, but the retiring opener puts down a tricky chance diving to his left. Excellent first over for Lee.

England 1st Inns, 234-4: Collingwood 25*, Flintoff 42*.

2319: Play is about to start, and Australia have taken the new ball straight away. The first over will be bowled by Brett Lee.

2317: The Australians are out on the SCG surface, quickly followed by England's not-out batsmen. Shane Warne was poor yesterday, but the gods of fate will surely see him pick up a few, especially if this pitch lives up to it's turning reputation.

On the subject of the gods of fate, I'm regretting not putting a couple of quid on Warne getting a century on his final Test appearance, scrubbing out possibly the single blot on his cricketing record. Blots on his non-cricketing record are best avoided.

2309: Of course to immediately contradict me, apparently Aussie weathermen have predicted possible showers for the day ahead.

2301: The weather looks set fair for a full days play in Sydney, and England will hope that Collingwood and captain Flintoff will be able to continue their potentially excellent partnership fromlast night.

However, with the new ball available from the start of play and both men not used to facing the shiny, swinging cherry, they will have to be very careful.

2255: In their infinite wisdom, the ICC have decided that only 11 minutes will be needed to make up the near hour that was lost yesterday, so play will start at 2319 GMT. Naturally.