3rd Ashes Test, Day 2: England vs Australia - As it happened...

Live updates from the Day 2 of the third Ashes Test.

Zee Media Bureau

SCORECARD» | COMMENTARY» | MATCH REPORT» ==================================================================================== Over 30|| Score 52/2 End of play on Day 2 and Michael Clarke is a happy man today. Not only has his team put on a superb show with the bat but also picked two English wickets as well. The first England batsman to depart was Joe Root. He edged one from Siddle to Haddin after scoring 8 (57b, 4X1). Tim Bresnan, the nightwatchman, lasted only 15 deliveries before being given out caught behind. The replays showed otherwise. However, England didn’t go for the review. He scored 1 (15b). ==================================================================================== Over 20|| Score 37/0 England are off to a cautious start. Eight off the last 15 overs have been maiden. Root has faced 47 deliveries and scored just four runs. On the other hand, his captain Cook is on 28 (74b, 4X4) ==================================================================================== ENGLAND Over 5 || Score 16/0 Ryan Harris has the new ball. Alastair Cook and Joe Root are in the middle for England. Just a single from the first over. Mitchell Starc will share the new ball with Harris. Cook played his fourth delivery through point for a boundary. Off the next came seven runs including a boundary to Cook. The fourth one was a maiden while off the fifth came just two. ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Over 146 || Score 527/7 Four overs into the final session and Australia have declared their innings at 527/7. Mitchell Starc and Brad Haddin return unbeaten registering half-centuries. Australia have put on a strong batting display in this crucial third Test that will decide the fate of the series. ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Over 142 || Score 507/7 TEA Australia go into tea at a commanding position putting 507 on board. Starc has also reached his third Test fifty in 11th game. Still 38 overs are remaining in the day. All eyes are on Michael Clarke as to when he declares the innings. ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Over 140 || Score 495/7 Brad Haddin and Mitchell Starc have taken the attack to the English bowlers. In the past 10 overs, the duo has added 56 runs – bulk of which has come from the bat of Starc. In his score of 45*, the southpaw has already hit seven boundaries including consecutive fours off Swann in the beginning of 135th over. Meanwhile, Haddin has reached his 12th Test fifty. ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Over 130 || Score 439/7 Australian skipper Michael Clarke missed out on a deserved double hundred after being bowled by Stuart Broad off the second delivery of the 126th over. He scored 187 (314b, 4X23). He became Broad’s 200th Test scalp. In the following over, Graeme Swann then dismissed Peter Siddle having him bowled. He scored 1 (6b). New man Mitchell Starc swept Swann’s sixth delivery through midwicket for a boundary. ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Over 116 || Score 392/5 LUNCH! Australia have lost the wickets of David Warner and Steve Smith. Captain Clarke is still going strong and is unbeaten on 168. Partnering him is Brad Haddin. Warner was dismissed by Graeme Swann after the offie coaxed an edge off his bat that after being deflected from Prior was taken by Trott at first slip. Warner scored 5 (10b, 4X1). Later on, Haddin was dropped by Prior off Anderson. ==================================================================================== AUSTRALIA Over 107 || Score 348/4 Australia started off well Today. Both the batsmen -- Michael Clarke and Steven Smith punished the bad balls. Clarke took a single on the 100th over of the innings and not only moved to his highest score against England but it also brought up the 200 partnership between these two. Swann was introduced by Cook for the first time this morning and the spinner didn’t disappoint his skipper. In his first over he gave England its first breakthrough of the day by sending Smith back to the pavilion. Smith tried to launch Swann for a big one over mid wicket but ended up giving a high catch to Bairstow. SPD Smith c Bairstow b Swann 89 (196b) ==================================================================================== Old Trafford, Manchester: Centurion Michael Clarke played a true captain`s innings as Australia shrugged off another umpiring controversy to produce an Ashes fightback and rack up 303 for three on the first day of the third test on Thursday. The unflappable Clarke was 125 not out from 208 balls at the close after notching the tourists` first ton of the series with a flicked single, while Steve Smith was unbeaten on 70 after a day of fluctuating fortunes which ended with Australia on top. England, who are 2-0 up in the five-match series and will retain the Ashes at the revamped Manchester venue with a win or a draw, were cheered on by a packed crowd and a lone trumpeter but some pizzazz was missing from their play and the atmosphere.