Ashes: Updates, Scores, Highlights – Australia V England In The Boxing Day Test At The MCG – Sporting News AU

Australia will be aiming to sink the final nail into England’s coffin during the third Ashes Test on Boxing Day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne.

The home side lead the series 2-0 after comprehensive wins in the first two Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide respectively.

England have it all to do when play gets underway on day three after Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland tore through their top order on Monday evening.

Skipper Joe Root (12*) and Ben Stokes (2*) will resume on day three with the visitors still 51 runs in arrears.

Can Australia wrap up the Ashes series before the New Year? Or will England finally show some fight?

Sporting News has all the scores, highlights and updates from the first day of the Boxing Day Test below.

Australia v England – Third Test LIVE updates and scores

Live score 

Current batters 

Live commentary and updates – Day 2

12th over: Cummins gets one by Root’s outside edge to keep the five slips interested. Root pushes one down the ground for three on the last ball of the day. England get to stumps under all kinds of pressure.

11th over: Boland replaces Starc and HAMEED GOES! The opener fishes at one just outside off and gets a feather through to Carey.

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 27, 2021

The hometown hero gets in on the act, England in all sorts here. Leach comes out as a nightwatchman BUT HE DOESN’T LAST LONG.

Leach leaves one alone, it seams back and cleans up his off peg. Superb bowling from the Australian attack. England opt to abandon the nightwatchman strategy as Stokes walks to the middle.

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 27, 2021

10th over:  Another maiden from Cummins as Root edges towards stumps.

9th over: Starc finds Root’s edge but it falls short of Carey and Warner. Soft hands pays off for the captain but it feels like we haven’t seen the last of the wickets this evening. Hameed then punches a half-volley through mid-off for four. Starc responds with some short stuff. 

8th over: Big shout as Cummins manages to get one to jag back wildly, collecting Hameed on the back thigh. Umpire correctly deems it going over the stumps. Hameed sees out a maiden.

7th over: Root plays at a full, wide one and edges it but it goes between 3rd slip and gully and to the boundary for four. Looks like a torturous time to be batting.

6th over: Cummins continues to ask questions from the other end as the crowd get right into it. Root opens his account with a textbook off drive thanks to a rare half-volley.

5th over: WICKET! This edge does find an Australian player. Crawley gets the faintest of nicks on a stock ball from Starc and Carey does the rest. Dawid Malan again out there with England in single figures.

GONE! Starc has Australia’s first, Crawley edges to Carey #Ashes pic.twitter.com/CDTYXtHQVz

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 27, 2021

AND ANOTHER ONE! Starc pounds one into Malan’s front pad and the umpire’s finger goes up. Malan reviews it and ball-tracking shows the ball clipping the top of leg stump. The number 3 goes for a golden duck and Starc is on a hatty.

— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 27, 2021

The left armer then draws a false shot from Root on the hat-trick ball as the cordon and crowd briefly go up. What a start for the Aussies. Starc now finding plenty of seam movement.

4th over: CHANCE! Another beauty from Cummins and this one does find Crawley’s edge but Carey and Warner at first slip make a meal of it. The keeper opted to let it go in the end and the ball runs away for four. Carey would definitely like that one again. Crawley survives.

3rd over: Starc continues to probe outside Hameed’s off stump and draws a rush of blood from the Englishman on the last delivery but it doesn’t find the edge.

2nd over: Cummins stars brilliantly with a brute of a short ball which catches Hameed on the glove and armband but balloons safely over the cordon. The skipper then drew a play-and-miss from Crawley with some vintage line and length but the openers survive.

How’s that for a first nut! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/w70Pbrgf3s

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2021

1st over: Not a whole lot of movement for Starc with the new ball. Hameed will be relieved to open his account after two ducks on the trot.

END OF AUSTRALIA’S 1ST INNINGS

Good day in the field for England, taking nine wickets and never letting Australia get too far ahead of the game. Anderson was fantastic, finishing with four wickets for the innings, while Wood and Robinson did a solid job and claimed two poles each. It will be a nervous period for England this evening however, especially considering how shaky their top-order has been so far in the series. 

88th over:  WICKET!!! Wood finishes things off for England, as Boland edges it to Crawley at second slip. Australia’s lead will be 82 runs after being bowled out for 267. 

88th over:  Wood back on for Robinson now. Boland flicks through the leg-side for three runs. Starc adds a few more as Wood begins to tire. 

87th over:  Anderson searching for a five-wicket haul, which would be just his second in Australia. Boland squeezes it through gully and point for two runs, getting himself his first Test runs. 9/261 after 87. 

The MCG crowd had to wait, but Scott Boland has scored his first Test run! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/Wwy6icaq77

— News Cricket (@NewsCorpCricket) December 27, 2021

86th over:  Robinson is doing his best impersonation of The Undertaker here and has somehow risen from what looked to be a hamstring injury, and is now back on the field and bowling. The fans go up as Boland gets a single, but umpire Wilson calls leg byes. 9/257 after 86. 

85th over:  WICKET!!! Cummins top-edges an attempted pull shot off Anderson, landing safely in the hands of Hameed at point. Starc pulls for another single and gives local lad Scott Boland the strike. 9/254 after 85. 

84th over:  Robinson back into the attack. Starc smashes one straight back at the bowler but Robinson can’t hold onto it, and now he looks to be struggling with a hamstring injury. Stokes replaces Robinson as he leaves the field. Starc goes over the top twice in a row and adds four more runs to Australia’s lead, before capping off the over with a well-timed pull shot for a boundary. 8/253 after 84. 

Ollie Robinson can’t complete his over and is leaving the field after dropping this chance off his own bowling #Ashes pic.twitter.com/WDqFlilT0n

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2021

83rd over:  Anderson bowls six big dots and completes his 10th maiden of the innings. 8/245 after 83. 

82nd over:  Wood continuing with the new ball now. Cummins drives down the ground perfectly for a boundary. He looks to pull a good length delivery and Anderson attempts a diving catch but puts it down – saved three runs though! 8/245 after 82. 

Anderson flies … but drops what might have been a classic #Ashes pic.twitter.com/mDuErCZYug

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2021

81st over:  England have taken the second new-ball and Anderson comes back into the attack straight away. Starc whips away on the leg-side for a single. They rotate the strike throughout the over and add a few more runs to their first innings lead. 8/240 after 81. 

80th over:  Australia take their lead to 50 runs with a few singles off Wood’s over. 8/236 after 80. 

79th over:  Stokes has changed ends and replaces Leach. Starc pulls away for a single to deep mid-wicket. Cummins drives nicely through cover and point for two more runs. 8/233 after 79. 

78th over:  Wood back on now as England look to take these last two wickets quickly. Just two singles off it. 8/228 after 78. 

77th over:  Starc tucks a single away on the leg-side off Leach. Cummins gives himself some room and goes down the ground for a boundary. 8/226 after 77. 

76th over:  WICKET!!! Stokes into the attack for Robinson and he strikes almost immediately. Carey looks for the big cover drive and nicks off to Buttler, who takes a regulation catch behind the stumps. Mitchell Starc is almost out third ball, a thick edge falling just short of Hameed at point. 8/220 after 76. 

75th over:  Cummins edges a nice delivery from Leach, but it goes just wide of Root at slip for two runs. The left-armer looks far more comfortable and far more likely to take a wicket against right-handed batters. 7/215 after 75. 

74th over:  Carey guides one safely for two runs down to third-man, before punching down the ground for two more. 7/211 after 74. 

73rd over: WICKET!!! Green plays and misses outside off-stump, before being trapped LBW by Leach. Green opts to review it, but the ball was clipping the top of leg-stump and the on-field decision remains. Aussie skipper Pat Cummins out to the middle now. 7/207 in the 73rd. 

72nd over:  Robinson bowling after tea and gives Green a lovely half-volley which is driven down the ground for a boundary. Green takes a single to extra cover, looking to play some shots after the break it seems. 6/206 after 72. 

Few sights more beautiful in cricket than a perfect on-drive! ? #Ashes pic.twitter.com/VEyHIXaxt3

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2021

TEA BREAK

A really solid and even session of Test cricket. The performance of Anderson with the ball has been terrific, bowling nine maidens and taking three wickets in his 19 overs so far. Shane Warne described it as ‘the best he has bowled in Australia’ during the coverage on Fox Cricket,  which is a huge call considering how many times he has been out here during his storied career. Harris battled well for the Aussies for a long period, but was unable to reach that elusive triple-figure score and will be disappointed with that. Green and Carey have both been patient since arriving at the crease, but will look to up the scoring rate after tea. Leach’s bowling and the captaincy of Root when the spinner has been on have been strange to say the least, seemingly trying to defend instead of attack and try to take wickets. With the game and the series on the line, England need a huge session and will want to bowl Australia out quickly. 

71st over:  Leach back into the attack just before the tea break. Carey attempts to sweep from outside off-stump – his favourite shot against spin. He attempts a reverse sweep the next ball, but it’s well fielded by Wood at point. Carey goes again and gets it past the fielder this time for two runs. Carey sweeps again for another two close out the set and the session. 6/200 after 71. 

“He gives batsmen angles to work with,” Kerry O’Keeffe said on  Fox Cricket. 

“I don’t know if you can do that in Australia, you have to attack the poles.”

70th over:  Short ball from Wood strikes Carey on the shoulder – don’t rub it! He gets down the other end the next ball and gives Green the strike. 6/196 after 70. 

69th over:  Carey gets two runs off his pads and Stokes is filthy with his fielders for not cutting it to a single, before adding another in a similar spot to finish the over. 6/195 after 69. 

68th over:  Carey gets off the mark with a risky single, almost running out his partner – lucky it was Hameed throwing, who has missed about half a dozen runout attempts this series. Thick edge from Green lands safely in front of point, before he works it fine for a boundary. 6/192 after 68. 

67th over:  Stokes into the attack now for England. Soft hands from Green, who adds two more through the slips and gully to take Australia past England’s first innings score. Green gets struck on the thighpad, before evading a good bouncer from Stokes. No-ball on the final delivery of the over, followed up by a dot. 6/187 after 67. 

66th over:  Anderson continuing his immaculate day with the ball, notching up another maiden. 6/184 after 66. 

65th over:  A rising delivery from Wood catches Green on the glove, but it lands safely. Green works it away on the leg-side for a couple of runs. 6/184 after 65. 

Extra bounce from Wood! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/OZjlHwrFjD

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2021

64th over:  Anderson continuing to Green, who is still in no rush to get his innings going. Back-foot drive to cover earns him a single. 6/182 after 64. 

“This isn’t a pitch that suits big Cameron Green,” Kerry O’Keeffe said on  Fox Cricket. 

“He’s got to learn to soften his hands and work angles and play behind the wicket.” 

63rd over:  Wood back into the attack for England – they smell a bit of blood in the water now with two reasonably fresh batters at the crease. Green plays and misses at one he should have left, before tucking a single away on the leg-side. 6/181 after 63. 

62nd over:  WICKET!!! Anderson strikes once again, getting it right up there to Harris who edges it straight to Root at slip, who takes a nice catch. It has been a fantastic day for Anderson, who is nearing 40 years of age and is still taking key wickets for his side at Test level. A good knock from Harris, but he will be filthy with himself not being able to convert it into a big score. Wicket maiden for Anderson. 6/180 after 62. 

— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 27, 2021

61st over:  Harris drives through point for three, slightly over-pitched delivery by Leach. 5/180 after 61. 

60th over:  Anderson back into the attack now – he will be hoping to replicate his fantastic spell from earlier in the day. Green getting bogged down a little bit early on here in his innings, would be good to see him start showing a little bit more intent. 5/177 after 60. 

59th over:  Harris glances with ease down to fine-leg for two runs, and then punches down the ground for another single. Green sees out the remainder of the over. 5/176 after 59. 

“I can’t fathom why the spinner is still on,” Michael Vaughan said on  Fox Cricket. 

“The game is on a knife-edge, England have to win the game within the next hour.”

58th over:  Green strong in defence against Robinson. Big innings here for the all-rounder and a chance to quieten some of the criticism about his batting. Maiden over and a drinks break. 5/173 after 58. 

“He looks like he has closed up his stance from earlier in the series,” Mike Hussey said on  Fox Cricket.

“His front-foot was really open in the first two Test matches and didn’t know where his off-stump was.”

57th over:  Green takes an easy single to mid-off. 5/173 after 57. 

56th over: WICKET!!! Head plays a loose shot away from his body off Robinson, and edges it straight to Root at first slip. Disappointing dismissal for the left-hander, who had been looking good and got a nice start to his innings. Cameron Green gets off the mark. 5/172 after 56. 

— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 27, 2021

55th over:  Single behind square from Head off Leach’s bowling, just for something new. Harris plays one on to his pads but it goes straight into the ground. 4/170 after 55. 

54th over:  Harris lifts a shorter ball from Robinson over the cordon for a boundary. 4/169 after 54. 

53rd over:  Head misses out on a short leg-side delivery from Leach, before getting a single down the ground. Harris dabs one behind point for a single to close out the set. 4/165 after 53. 

52nd over:  Thick edge from Harris lands short of the slips. Maiden over from Robinson, who is bowling a better spell this time around. 4/163 after 52. 

51st over:  Leach continuing over the wicket to the left-handed Head now, who attempts to sweep aggressively but can only manage a single. Harris advances but it goes down the leg-side, and Buttler misses a touch stumping chance. Head flicks away for two runs off a poor delivery. 4/163 after 51. 

A life for Harris as Leach gets it to turn! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/bKFjLEhQEW

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2021

After such a good first session for England, this feels dangerously like an afternoon in which the game could just drift along. #Ashes

— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) December 27, 2021

50th over:  Robinson back into the attack for England now. Harris plays and misses outside off-stump, as he has done for a lot of today, before leaving a few late in the maiden over. 4/157 after 50. 

“As much as you need the backing of selectors and coaches, you also need a bit of luck,” Isa Guha said on  Fox Cricket. 

“He has had 19 plays and misses today.”

49th over:  Leach moves over the wicket to Harris, who punches down the ground for a single. Better over from the left-arm spinner. 4/157 after 49. 

48th over:  Harris swings loosely outside off-stump and misses out. A nice square drive behind point from the opener adds two more runs to his tally. 4/155 after 48. 

47th over:  Leg-slip in place now for Leach. Head takes a risky single and would have been out if Stokes was able to hit. 4/152 after 47. 

46th over:  Wood squares up Harris a few times in a maiden over. 4/149 after 46. 

45th over:  Leach continues to come around the wicket to the left-handers and bowl very straight. Escapes with just two runs off it, but you have to wonder how he is planning on getting a wicket with this field and these tactics. 4/149 after 45.

“I would not be bowling around the wicket – I’d be trying my luck over the wicket,” Allan Border said on  Fox Cricket. 

44th over:  Harris plays Wood down the ground for three runs, bringing up a much-needed fifty. He’s never looked fully-settled and has played-and-missed plenty today, but has hung in there and made the most of his opportunity. Harris cuts behind point and Hameed misfields, adding another boundary to his tally. Caps off the over with another couple of runs. 4/145 after 44. 

Marcus Harris gets to fifty #Ashes pic.twitter.com/7RpGC0983v

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2021

43rd over:  Leach on after lunch. Ordinary bowling, Head dispatches a short ball on leg-stump for a boundary, before taking a single to long-on. 4/137 after 43. 

LUNCH BREAK

Great session for England – probably their best of the series. Anderson has bowled with great control, but has kept an attacking mindset and picked up two wickets. Labuschagne departing for just 1 run after being named the ICC No.1 batter just days ago is proof of how humbling a game cricket can be at times. Wood has looked dangerous with ball in hand, bowling with great pace and bounce. If they can get another wicket or two in the first 10 overs after lunch, it’s game on for the visitors. 

42nd over:  Robinson hooked after just one over, with Wood coming back on. Harris plays and misses, before punching down the ground for two runs. Harris flicks through mid-wicket for two more. Lunch break time. 4/131 after 42. 

41st over:  Bowling change for England, with left-arm spinner Jack Leach into the attack. Head flicks around the corner for a couple, before adding another single. Easy runs for Australia, with Leach bowling leg-stump lines and Root setting the field out. 4/127 after 41. 

“If you’re facing a spinner with no bat-pad on the leg-side or off-side, it’s happy birthday,” Allan Border said on  Fox Cricket. 

“It’s a real defensive mindset. You’re not really trying to take a wicket.”

40th over:  Robinson back into the attack to replace Anderson. Head feasts on a short and wide delivery, cutting it away for a boundary. He plays through the off-side again for three more runs – ordinary bowling from Robinson to an in-form batter who is still early in his innings. Harris almost runs himself out, but a throw from Hameed narrowly misses and saves him for now. 4/123 after 40. 

39th over:  Few wayward and shorter-pitched deliveries from Wood to Harris, but it’s still another maiden. 4/116 after 39. 

38th over:  Anderson chipping away still, and he will be keen for another pole before the lunch break. Head doesn’t look at all comfortable against him early on and sees out another maiden. 4/116 after 38. 

37th over:  Wood back into the attack. Head gets off the mark with a single. Harris edges through the slips for another boundary. 4/116 after 37. 

36th over:  WICKET!!! Another huge pole for England. Anderson has been bowling brilliantly so far this morning and gets his reward, forcing Smith to play away from his body slightly and inside-edge the ball onto his stumps. Travis Head enters and is immediately forced to play and miss at a seaming delivery. Wicket-maiden for Anderson. 4/110 after 36. 

— News Cricket (@NewsCorpCricket) December 27, 2021

35th over:  A couple of misfields in a row at short cover help Smith add another few runs to his growing tally off the bowling of Stokes. Harris adds two more runs through the leg-side. 3/110 after 35. 

34th over:  Anderson continues to toil away, looking very likely at the moment. Multiple plays and misses from Harris, who looks in all sorts against the veteran English seamer. Another maiden. 3/105 after 34. 

33rd over:  Stokes continuing to Smith, and he forces a play-and-miss early in the over. Drops one in short but it sails over Smith’s head and is called a wide. No runs off the bat again. 3/105 after 33. 

32nd over:  Maiden over from Anderson, with just a leg bye coming off it. 3/104 after 32. 

31st over:  SUCCESSFUL REVIEW!!! Stokes traps Harris in front LBW and Paul Reiffel puts his finger up, but the Australian opener immediately reviews it. Snicko shows that there was bat involved, so he survives for now. Good signs for England though. Stokes pitches short and Harris pulls straight to a fielder to complete a maiden. Stump mic reveals an interesting chat between Harris and Stokes, with the Aussie stick admitting he wasn’t confident and claiming ‘Hot-spot is f*****g hopeless’ in DRS moments. 3/103 after 31. 

— News Cricket (@NewsCorpCricket) December 27, 2021

“If there was no DRS, Marcus Harris’ career is probably over,” Shane Warne said on  Fox Cricket. 

30th over:  Smith goes after a full delivery from Anderson, but it comes off the toe and barely makes it up the other end of the pitch. Plenty of swing and seam from Anderson and it goes down the leg-side, good take by Buttler. Maiden over and drinks. 3/103 after 30. 

29th over:  Peculiar bowling change from England, with Wood coming off after just two overs that were of high quality, and is replaced by Stokes. He nearly creates a chance first ball after catching the edge of Smith, but it lands safely and the ball rolls away for a boundary. Stokes bowls short and Smith pulls, adding three more runs. There is a clear plan from England to bowl short to Smith, but there’s no reason why Wood couldn’t have continued and done the same job. Harris cuts behind point for two runs. 3/103 after 29. 

“I’d be breathing a sigh of relief if I’m Steve Smith,” Shane Warne said on  Fox Cricket. 

“I don’t understand the two overs…now is the moment in the game, now is the opportunity. 

28th over:  Anderson back into the attack and almost claims a wicket straight away. Smith inside-edges into his thighpad, but Buttler can’t reel in a very tough one-handed attempt. Harris plays and misses the next three of the next four balls, great areas from Anderson and really promising signs for England. 

Probably can’t call that one a drop! Anderson getting the ball moving. #Ashes pic.twitter.com/nXsEeDDgjs

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2021

27th over:  Smith whips through mid-wicket for three, before taking off for a quick single later in the over – showing great intent early in his dig. Wood bowling with great pace and aggression, and is looking to lift his side. 3/93 after 27. 

“He has looked the most threatening of any bowler, that’s why we were so staggered about Adelaide,” Shane Warne said on  Fox Cricket. 

“He brings a lot to the table.”

26th over:  Harris adds three more through the leg-side. Smith gets off the mark with a little flick off his pads. 3/88 after 26. 

25th over:  WICKET!!! Huge moment for England and Wood, dismissing Labuschagne early in his innings. The in-form No.3 edges a quality delivery that seamed just enough, and it lands safely in the hands of Root in the slips. The extra pace of Wood really made a difference there. Steve Smith enters the fray and he will be hungry for runs. 3/84 after 25. 

— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 27, 2021

25th over:  Bowling change for England with Wood into the attack for the first time today. Short-leg, two slips and a gully in place for Harris, who punches down the ground for three runs. 

24th over:  Labuschagne in no rush early in his innings here, as you’d expect from him. Robinson strikes him on the hip area – no padding there to soften the blow. 2/81 after 24. 

23rd over:  Maiden over from Anderson to Harris. 2/80 after 23. 

22nd over:  Marnus rocking the old-school Kookaburra Bubble stickers on his bat. He gets off the mark with a single down to fine-leg. Harris flicks away for a single on the final ball of the over. 2/80 after 22. 

The stickers ? #Ashes pic.twitter.com/6zPV5Jx0Vk

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 27, 2021

21st over:  Harris takes another couple on the leg-side. 2/78 after 21. 

20th over:  WICKET!!! Bit of bounce from Robinson as Lyon pops it up, but it lands safely. Next ball, Lyon looks to drive but gets it a big edge through to Buttler behind the stumps. The best batsman in the world – Marnus Labuschagne – is at the crease now, and he leaves his first two balls as he loves to do early in his innings. 2/76 after 20. 

“You have to bowl straight to him (Labuschagne) – there is clearly a plan for Marnus to play for his off-stump,” Michael Vaughan said on  Fox Cricket. 

“England might think that by bowling dots to him, it will bowl pressure – but after 27 Tests, we have seen that dots don’t bother Marnus Labuschagne.”

19th over:  Lyon gets struck on the thighpad and takes the extra run. Harris gets underway for today with a controlled edge through the slips and gully for a boundary. 1/76 after 19. 

18th over:  Lyon hits back-to-back boundaries, first with a lovely pull shot and the next a safe edge through the cordon. Robinson forces him to play and miss later in the over. Gaz takes a single to backward square leg to finish off a great over for the hosts. 1/71 after 18. 

Intent shown by Lyon! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/MZEiRb8fTd

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2021

17th over:  Anderson kicks things off for England. Lyon the nightwatchman looks to play some shots early and plays an off-drive on the up for a single after a good touch from Stokes. Harris watches and defends out the rest of the set from the veteran England seamer. 1/62 after 17. 

11am:  After all the drama this morning, now it’s time to get some cricket underway! 

10.45am:  News has now filtered through that FOUR members of England’s touring party – two support staff members and two of their family members – have tested positive for COVID. All players have tested negative on their rapid tests, and will receive PCR tests throughout the day. Click here for full details . 

10.15am:  Play is now scheduled to begin at 11am and run through until 6pm. 

Play will start at 11am. #ashes

— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) December 26, 2021

Day 2 has been delayed until 11:00am. All session times have been moved back by 30 minutes.

Updated Session Times:

First Session: 11:00am – 1:00pm

Second Session: 1:40pm – 3:40pm

Final Session: 4:00pm – 6:00pm #Ashes

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2021

10am:  England captain Joe Root was at the ground earlier than his teammates it appears, and was out on the field wrming up by himself

— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 26, 2021

9.50am:  England players have been given the all-clear to travel to the MCG, after returning negative results on their rapid COVID tests. Play will be delayed, with no timeframe set at this stage.

England on their way. No news yet on how or if this affects the morning session. #ashes

— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) December 26, 2021

9.40am:  Play looks set to be delayed and potentially abandoned on day two, with a member of the England team’s family group testing positive for COVID.  Click here for full details . 

England still at the hotel. Positive covid test result within the family group. Team currently awaiting results of RFT tests. #ashes

— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) December 26, 2021

9.30am:  Marcus Harris (20*) will be looking to make a big score as he fights to save his Test career, following a tough start to The Ashes series on home soil. David Warner (38) is the only batter out for Australia so far, with nightwatchman Nathan Lyon (0*) coming to the crease late on the first day. James Anderson (1/14) was the only English player to take a wicket. 

9:30am: Welcome to Sporting News’ live blog for the second day of the third Ashes Test on Boxing Day between Australia and England at the MCG. Australia currently lead the series 2-0, and are in a commanding position in Melbourne after rolling the visitors on the first day for just 185 runs. 

Australia v England – Third Test scorecard

Second innings batting – England

Second innings bowling – Australia

First innings batting – Australia

First innings bowling – England

First innings batting – England

First innings bowling – Australia

Who is in Australia and England’s Ashes XI?

Australia:  Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith (vc), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris,  Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, David Warner 

England: Joe Root (c), James Anderson, Jos Buttler (wk), Jonny Bairstow, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Mark Wood

How to watch the Ashes in Australia?

Kayo Sports, Foxtel, and Channel 7 will all be broadcasting the five Tests between Australia and England, with an exciting summer of cricket expected.

Fans can sign up for Kayo, purchase the sports pack on Foxtel, or watch Channel 7’s free-to-air broadcast.

SPECIAL KAYO OFFER FOR NEW CUSTOMERS: Get two months of Kayo Basic for just $5

Kayo will be simulcasting Fox Cricket’s broadcast of the action, and Channel 7 will have their own coverage.

ABC Radio will also be covering the commentary for listeners of the game.

What will the weather be at Melbourne’s MCG for the five days of the Ashes Test?

The weather forecast is looking good for five days of play during the Boxing Day Test with no rain currently predicted for Melbourne during the match.

Sunday, December 26 – Day 1: Partly cloudy, max temp of 20, 10% chance of rain

Monday, December 27 – Day 2:  Partly cloudy, max temp of 25, 5% chance of rain

Tuesday, December 28 – Day 3:  Sunny, max temp of 26, 0% chance of rain

Wednesday, December 29 – Day 4:  Mostly sunny, max temp of 27, 10% chance of rain

Thursday, December 30 – Day 5:  Partly cloudy, max temp of 27, 10% chance of rain