That’s all for today’s blog. I’ll leave you with Ali Martin’s match report from Chester-le-Street. Goodnight, and switch that bloody phone off.

“Dear Fellow Plonker,” writes Michael Meagher. “That was fun!”

What happened to my last bit of humble pie?

The last two games are at Lord’s on Friday and Bristol on Sunday. Astonishingly, the weather forecast for both is okay.

“May I pass on my best wishes to James in coping with his potentially unruly offspring?” says Damian Clarke. “Mine has just poked his head round the door, and demanded to know what’s happening about food tonight. Maybe a bit of a difference between the two households, though. My problem child is 31.”

Are we in Fight Club/third person territory here?

“Hi Rob,” says Matt Dale. “That WinViz prediction at half time isn’t looking too shabby now.”

Sometimes humble pie tastes bloody good.

It’s hosing down again. I suspect we’re done for the day. England are 46 runs ahead on DLS so, if the game is called off, the result will brook no argument.

The Sky team think the cut-off point is 8.40pm, though that isn’t official. Either way it’s getting tight as it’s still raining, albeit not as heavily as when the players came off.

I think the players need to get back on the field by 8.30pm, which is in 40 minutes’ time. Not 100 per cent sure though.

Cheers Jim, hello again. Is it too early to suggest that 3-2’s got a nice ring to it?

37th over: England 246-4 (Brook 110, Livingstone 27) Livingstone is in a hurry. When is he not? Starc goes short and is flicked off the hip for four. The next one is a doozy from Barrow-in-Furness’ finest – a hold the pose lofted drive that rattles the advertising hoardings behind the bowler. A full ball is sent to the sweeper on the off side fence and they scamper a couple. A tickle to leg makes it 11 runs off the over. England need 59 off 78 balls.

I’m tagging Rob Smyth back in for a bit, see over 31 for more info as to why. No more Mr Nice Guy.

36th over: England 235-4 (Brook 110, Livingstone 16) Sean Abbot replaces Green who gets a well earned rest after his mid-pitch carpet bombing. Brook steps away to leg and lifts him over point for four. He edges the next ball trying to repeat the shot but it falls well short of Crawley.

Can Brook see his side home? England need 70 off 84 balls. Simple, right?

Harry Brook picks up two off Mitchell Starc and then drills an attempted yorker down the ground for four to take him to 99.

There it is! A maiden ODI hundred for Harry Brook! Starc went full and Brook got an outside edge on it, squirting it away wide of Carey for four. He removes his helmet, blows out his cheeks and raises his arms. That’s about as animated as I’ve ever seen him celebrate a century. Of course he ffff flippin’well cares!

35th over: England 229-4 (Brook 105, Livingstone 15)

34th over: England 216-4 (Brook 93, Livingstone 14) Cam Green continues with his bumpers and bouncers. Brook and Livingstone rotate strike off the first three balls. Now then! Livingstone smites a SIX into the leg side, Marnus came hurtling around the boundary edge in an attempt to take the catch but seemed to be put off by a somewhat dopey Aussie 12th man ambling round the boundary unawares. Marnus does indeed look daggers at… it’s Mahli Beardman. Who soon scurries up to the safety of the dressing room.

12 runs off the over in total and Harry Brook into the 90s…

33rd over: England 204-4 (Brook 90, Livingstone 6) Livingstone charges the returning Hardie and hoicks for a massive six into the leg side, his bat follow through coming all the way round and patting him on the backside. That’s one way to get off the mark. Told you he looked confident. ‘I never perfected that simian stroll’

32nd over: England 197-4 (Brook 89, Livingstone 0) Smith trudges off and is replaced by the simian strolling Liam Livingston. Cameron Green has bowled three overs of short balls almost exclusively and it has got his side back in the contest.

“I’ll have what he’s having…” Green goes short first ball back, Brook steps away to leg and clobbers it flat for SIX over point.

31st over: England 189-3 (Brook 82, Smith 7) Shot! Big Josh commits the cardinal sin of white ball cricket by overstepping and giving away a free hit. Shot! Free hit or nay, Brook plays one of those Jos Buttler esque wrist-snapping bunts to a full ball off Hazlewood and it lasers away over mid off.

Time for a slurp of electrolytes for the players in Durham and a cautious peek around the door at an unruly toddler for me here in London. A crucial stage in the evening proceedings here and there. Drinks.

30th over: England 182-3 (Brook 77, Smith 6) Green returns and persists with back of a length and short, spearing two wides down the leg side in the process. Six off the over as Brook and Smith consolidate. Some brooding clouds rolling in behind the castle, England are ahead of the DRS by about 15 runs as it stands. As it stands.

29th over: England 176-3 (Brook 75, Smith 4) Mitch Marsh senses the opportunity, senses the time is now* and calls Josh Hazlewood back into the attack. He brings a slip in for Jamie Smith too. Smith swivels a mistimed pull to pick up a single and Brook glides deftly for three runs. Five off the over. England currently ticking along 6.06 runs per over and the rate is 6.14. Three wickets down. 21 overs left. Could be a belter if the weather holds firm. Big if.

*Ooh – Moloko

28th over: England 171-3 (Brook 71, Smith 3) Jamie Smith is the new batter. England need 136 from more than 22 overs, a situation tailor made for the Surrey man? No, jinxes don’t work like that…

Green has his dander up and makes life uncomfortable for both Smith and Brook with balls in at the ribs. Excellent over, the Aussies sense they are back in this.

Fire up the Jinxometer…

“Finally, maybe aided by a flattish pitch and the absence of the Aussies’ key spinner Adam Zampa, England’s batters are playing with controlled aggression rather than the out-and-out Bazball mark 1 approach.” Colum Fordham espouses. “Perhaps they have been observing Alex Carey’s astute batting in the last two ODIs, mixing 1s and 2s with boundaries. Watching Starc go for 19 is a rare treat.
Come on Brook and Jacks! This match is for the taking.”

27th over: England 165-2 (Jacks 84, Brook 69) Biggun! Sean Abbot bowls a length ball and Will Jacks decides that simply won’t d0 – clearing the front leg and moosing it over the square leg boundary for SIX. Abbot does well to get out of the over with just two more runs added. Jacks is into the 80s and looking gimlet eyed.

26th over: England 157-2 (Jacks 77, Brook 68) Thanks Rob, hello all. England are purring in this run chase. Brook and Jacks have been fantastic. Eoin Morgan spoke this morning about the need for them to stop the rot and even if they couldn’t win a game then they needed some of their hugely talented players to put their hands up and shift the narrative a bit. Jacks and Brook are doing just that. Six runs milked off Hardie with no dramas.

25th over: England 151-2 (Jacks 73, Brook 66) Abbott returns and is shovelled extravagantly over the shoulder by Brook. That’s his eighth boundary four, as Bob used to say.

And there’s his ninth, pulled witheringly over midwicket. Brook and Jacks have stealthily put England in complete control with some superb batting.

Time for me to hand back to Jim Wallace for a bit; ta-ra!

24th over: England 141-2 (Jacks 72, Brook 57) Jacks ploughs into the seventies, working Green off the pads for four. This is surely the best innings of his fledgling international career; like Brook, his judgement has been almost flawless.

22nd over: England 117-2 (Jacks 53, Brook 52) Short is hooked after a single over that went for 12. Hardie returns and nips one back to hit Jacks in the banter zone. “Bo11ocks!” shouts Jacks, lest there be any doubt where he was struck.

Brook is hit on the hip by a grotesque off-cutter, then Jacks looks suspiciously at the pitch after a bit of uneven bounce. Lots of encouragement for Australia in that over.

“I’m 5ft 5ins,” says Damian Clarke. “The internet has been wonderful. The top shelf was always an issue. No more asking the newsagent for a stool. Result.”

Why was your newsagent putting Amiga Format and Games Workshop on the top shelf?

21st over: England 114-2 (Jacks 51, Brook 52) With Australia needing a wicket, Mitch Marsh turns to Mitch Starc. Jacks is slightly wary against his variations but chips over the leg side for two to reach an equally good half-century from 55 balls. “Looks a very good player to me,” says Ricky Ponting on Sky.

20th over: England 111-2 (Jacks 48, Brook 52) Shot! The occasional offspinner Matt Short’s first ball is a wide, flighted half-volley that Brook blasts thrillingly over mid-off for six. A two off the pads takes him to a beautifully judged fifty, his first as captain, from 54 balls.

He becomes the eighth England captain to make a 50 before turning 26, a list that also includes Peter May, Ian Botham, Mike Atherton (who did it most often, six times), Marcus Trescothick, Alastair Cook, Eoin Morgan and Zak Crawley.

19th over: England 99-2 (Jacks 47, Brook 41) After two overs from Aaron Hardie, Cam Green comes into the attack. Jacks makes room to drive his first ball over mid-off for four, a controlled stroke, and Brook adds a couple more to deep cover.

England have scored 52 from the last eight overs – nothing spectacular, but the kind of subtle gearchange all good ODI teams need in certain situations.

18th over: England 91-2 (Jacks 42, Brook 38) Four singles from Maxwell’s second over. There’s a hint of evening sun at Chester-le-Street now, and batting looks as comfortable as at any time in the innings. If it stays like this, and that’s a big if, England have a chance of proving WinViz right.

17th over: England 87-2 (Jacks 40, Brook 36) “Just to help pass the time on a train journey from Torquay to Bath I started musing about times when we woz robbed, guv,” says Mark Lloyd. “The obvious one in my lifetime was Port of Spain 1990 – the way that match unfolded marks it as the beginning of the end of the Windies’ dominance in my book – but the one which irked me most was Durban 2004 when the weather denied us a stonking victory after we’d been Pollocked on the first day. Any others you would add?”

Are we including only cases of bad light and timewasting, not poor umpiring or rain? If so, Trinidad 1990 is probably the one; England taking a 2-0 lead in the Caribbean would arguably have been the greatest shock in Test history. Sydney 1995 was also immensely frustrating. Gus Fraser had gone through Australia like a dose of salts but then the light deteriorated and England couldn’t bowl the quicks. Then again, had they won at Sydney we probably have enjoyed that bonkers Adelaide victory a few weeks later.

Quiz question

If Harry Brook makes a half-century today he’ll become the eighth England captain under the age of 26 to do so. That’s across all formats, the men’s team only. Name the seven.

16th over: England 84-2 (Jacks 39, Brook 34) Here comes Glenn Maxwell, Australia’s No1 spinner in the absence of Adam Zampa. Brook skids back to chip his first ball over wide mid-off for four, a slightly risky but remarkably skilful stroke.

Three singles make it another decent over for England, who need 221 from the 34 overs to win. First, time for drinks.

”Kim Thonger’s fishing email and Daniel McDonald’s tale of late night Australian chit chat with his grandmother and great aunt, as part of an OBO liveblog of England playing Australia under lights in Durham in late September, just makes me think ‘where did it all go right, Rob?’,” says Simon McMahon. “It’s what the internet was invented for. That and cute cat videos, obvs.”

HOW COULD YOU FORGET DISPROPORTIONATE ANGER YOU MORON?

15th over: England 77-2 (Jacks 38, Brook 28) Aaron Hardie, on for Hazlewood, is greeted with a majestic extra cover drive from Brook. “That’s as good as we’ve seen today,” says Ricky Ponting on Sky.

England still have loads to do – the required rate is 6.51 – but this has been an excellent partnership, almost a blueprint.

14th over: England 69-2 (Jacks 34, Brook 23) Jacks walks across to clip his Surrey teammate Abbott to the fine leg boundary. That’s a brave shot because he’d have been plumb LBW had he missed.

I forgot to say that Brook’s second boundary in the previous over brought up a mature fifty partnership from two 25-year-olds with oodles of talent.

13th over: England 62-2 (Jacks 29, Brook 22) Brook tops and tails Hazlewood’s over with outstanding pulls for four. The first was pinged through square leg, the second whipped wristily past midwicket.

Lovely batting from Brook, who is playing nicely after a watchful start. The forecast means that, if we get close to 20 overs, England will have to start thinking about DLS.

12th over: England 54-2 (Jacks 29, Brook 14) Abbott has a huge LBW appeal against Jacks turned down by Alex Wharf. It looked high and legsidish*, so I’m surprised it was quite such a vehement appeal. Mitchell Marsh decided not to review and replayed show it would have missed leg.

Abbott’s frustration grows when Jacks edges a drive for four, just wide of slip at catchable height.

* My favourite Radiohead song, since you asked.

Uh-oh, the Grim Tweeter is back

11th over: England 47-2 (Jacks 24, Brook 12) Jacks feels outside off at Hazlewood and is beaten. England have been criticised for their approach in this series so it’s right to point out that they are playing with patience and common sense, trying to take the game deep and wait for batting to get easier. Even those two big shots over cover were played for a specific reason, to try to disturb the bowler’s length.

10th over: England 46-2 (Jacks 24, Brook 11) Jacks does the same to Abbott, running down the track to yeeha a boundary through the covers. He tries again next ball and is beaten; Abbott either saw or sensed him coming and dragged his length back just a touch.

9th over: England 39-2 (Jacks 18, Brook 11) Hazlewood changes ends to replace Starc (4-1-17-2). Brook tries to hit him off that Test match length, charging down the pitch to flat-bat a brutal boundary through the covers.

Hazlewood just ignores him and continues to hammer the same length five times out of six.

8th over: England 32-2 (Jacks 16, Brook 6) Sean Abbott comes on for Hazlewood (3-0-14-0). Brook is beaten twice outside off stump, first by some extra bounce and then by seam movement. A really good start from Abbott.

7th over: England 31-2 (Jacks 15, Brook 6) Brook gets his first boundary with a gorgeous off-drive off Starc. As Stuart Broad and Ricky Ponting note on commentary, it was only just wide of off stump and therefore in his arc, but it was still a beautiful shot. He sometimes struggles when it’s a bit wider.

“I’m just walking the dog,” says Kim Thonger, “not fishing myself.”

Don’t worry Kim, I think the point stands.

6th over: England 25-2 (Jacks 14, Brook 1) Hazlewood is bowling a Test match length, knowing that a soupçon of movement could be enough to do the necessary. England take no risks, settling for a couple of singles in the over. That’s okay: the most important thing for now is that they don’t lose a third wicket.

“Growing up in Toowoomba, Qld, Australia, I would often stay with my maternal grandmother during school holidays,” begins Daniel McDonald. “Frequently such stays would be accompanied by visits from my grandmother’s sister, my great aunt. She was a spinster, and my grandmother a widow, and together they could shoot much breeze and chew much fat. I have particularly fond memories of we three staying up late in the winter months of 1989 watching Ashes cricket, them explaining to me the rules and lore of the game amid gossip about neighbours and far-flung family members, elucidating the intricacies of a scorecard and then vociferously complaining that Allan Border should not have been given out and then recalling some long-ago viciously disputed family will.

“For years afterwards I would convince my parents that I should stay with grandma and aunt May for a few days after Christmas, ostensibly to help with chores but in reality to simply sit and watch the Boxing Day Test while shooting the breeze and chewing the fat. Thirty-five years later both are long gone but I’m still staying up late following the cricket, missing their conversation but grateful for their influence.”

What a delightful email. And a cracking premise for a Golden Girls-style cricket-themed sitcom.

5th over: England 23-2 (Jacks 13, Brook 0) Jacks drives Starc over mid-on for two, not the cleanest strike and probably not the best option. If ever there was a time to sit in for five overs, this is it, especially as Australia don’t have Adam Zampa today.

Jacks plays a better shot later in the over, clipping stylishly over midwicket for four when Starc strays onto the pads. He plays some extremely eye-catching strokes.

4th over: England 16-2 (Jacks 6, Brook 0) Jacks’ first boundary is a thing of beauty, driven to the left of mid-on off Hazlewood. There’s a bit of seam movement, so England may have to take their medicine and wait for occasional bad balls like that. There’s also plenty of noise from the slip cordon when the new batsman Harry Brook is on strike.

3rd over: England 11-2 (Jacks 1, Brook 0) The first wicket (come on, you remember) continued a difficult run in ODIs for Salt. Since the Netherlands series of 2022, when he made his only century, he has scored 296 runs at 21.

Like most of this England team, Salt has barely played 50-over cricket in the last five years. It’s one thing for young players to learn on the job about international cricket against Australia, quite another to do so in a format they’ve barely played.

2nd over: England 7-0 (Salt 0, Duckett 6) England’s first run is a rare no-ball from Hazlewood, with Duckett clothing the free hit over midwicket for a couple. Duckett is beaten before and after, flailing at good deliveries angled across him.

That’s enough orthodoxy for Duckett, who charges outside off stump and scoops a one-bounce four. It was only fractionally short of going all the way. An eventful over concludes with Duckett running the wicket and missing a hack to leg.

“Good afternoon Rob,” begins Kim Thonger. “Today, in the spirit of Stars in Their Eyes, I’m role playing a roving OBO fishing correspondent, watching a man of similar age on the other bank fly fishing for something slippery in the glorious River Tweed at Melrose, in the style favoured by Paul Whitehouse and Bob Mortimer. Meanwhile I, on the opposite bank, am trying to stop my dachshund Spitz fishing for ducks. He very nearly caught one just now, rather like a non-sporty gentleman in the third row of the Hollies Stand failing to catch a six that’s caught him by surprise by landing almost in his lap while doing the cryptic crossword.”

If you had told me, when I was doing work experience at Wisden Cricket Monthly, that 25 years later I would be a cricket writer for a national newspaper whose main job was to write blogs for a readership that included a man who was fishing on the River Tweed with his dachshund, I think I would have cried. I just don’t know whether those tears would have stimulated by joy, excitement, confusion or existential terror.

1st over: England 0-0 (Salt 0, Duckett 0) Make that 1.5 per cent. Mitchell Starc’s first ball swings back into Phil Salt, the reddest of red lights when Starc is bowling in white-ball cricket. Salt defends that, is beaten by one that goes straight on and decides to take no risks for the remainder of the over. A maiden. I bet Salt hasn’t played out too many of those in white-ball cricket.

“WinViz has England at 59 per cent to win,” begins Michael Meagher, “which seems to me to lie somewhere between optimistic and bonkers.”

This is blatant algorism, and I heartily agree: I’d give England maybe a 15 per cent chance. Never mind bonkers; we’ll both look like plonkers when England win inside 40 overs.

England’s over-rate was slow which means a shorter break than usual. Ben Duckett and Phil Salt are about to assume the position.

“Last time there was really a Big Two in Tests was presumably the Strauss captaincy, when Australia were in a rut and England’s 2011 series against India was seen as pivotal,” says James Davey. “Before that I recall the Saffers with Pollock and Donald having some ding-dong battles against Waugh’s Australia.”

I thought about both of those but I’m not sure they quite fit. In the early 2010s there were at least three really good teams; South Africa drew 1-1 with India in 2010-11, then went top by winning in England in 2012. And while late-90s South Africa were a brilliant, granite-nosed side (hello Brian if you’re reading), who I’m pretty sure were top of the original Wisden World Championship, they always lost to Australia. They had the opposite problem to late-1980s Pakistan, who were the equal of West Indies in their head-to-head contests but were nowhere near as good against the rest.

50th over: Australia 304-7 (Carey 77, Abbott 2) Australia sneak past 300, which should be more than enough on this pitch. England started pretty well but were a seamer light and lost their way towards the end, with Australia scoring 55 from the last four overs.

Alex Carey played another gem of an innings: 77 not out from 65 balls with seven fours, one six and heaps of intelligencee. England can learn from Carey that you don’t need to smash the ball to all parts to score at a strike rate of 120.

49th over: Australia 294-6 (Carey 70, Hardie 44) After bowling either length or short stuff for most of the day, Archer has started firing in yorkers. The first two are spot on, but when he misses his length Hardie makes room to slash the ball past backward point for four.

A difficult day for Archer ends with a low full toss that Hardie launches over wide long-on for six! Archer’s last two overs disappeared for 31 and he finishes with figures are 10-0-67-2. But what a superb shot from Hardie. This is comfortably the highest score of Hardie’s fledgling international career: 44 from 26 balls.

48th over: Australia 280-6 (Carey 68, Hardie 32) After a scratchy start, Hardie is playing like a proper batter. He drives Potts for four with the help of a Duckett misfield, then pulls another round the corner.

Carey, who was originally looking for the scoop, reacts smartly to guide a wide full toss to third man for a couple. It would have been four but for Livingstone’s scrambling stop. Carey steals a second run off the last delivery to make it 14 from the over and 31 from the last two overs.

47th over: Australia 266-6 (Carey 64, Hardie 23) Jofra Archer’s penultimate over is really expensive, costing 17. Carey pulls Archer wide of mid-on for four; Hardie raises him with a sweet pull into the crowd at square leg.

“In a world full of uncertainties, an Australian win under any circumstance is indeed a miracle,” writes Krishnamoorthy V. “They outscore you, outbowl you, outfield you - in short outplay you whether they chase or defend. Australia is to cricket what Federer was to tennis and Nadal was to Roland Garros a while ago.”

They’re not that dominant, are they? This feels like a Big Two era in all formats, and I won’t insult your intelligence by naming the other team. When was cricket’s last great Big Two era, let’s say just in Test cricket? I’m tempted to say West Indies and Pakistan in the 1980s but, though I really love that Pakistan team, you couldn’t really make an argument for them being No1.

46th over: Australia 249-6 (Carey 59, Hardie 11) Ignore that – Harry Brook has decided to give Livingstone a third over. The gamble almost works when Hardie chips not far short of deep point. Instead it goes for a single, one of five in the over.

45th over: Australia 244-6 (Carey 57, Hardie 8) Rashid is annoyed with himself when he drops short and is whacked through wide mid-on for four by Carey. A rare bad ball from Rashid, who ends with figures of 10-0-56-0 (overall) and 7-0-35-0 (this spell).

Incidentally England’s fifth bowler, Mr Bethellackstone, had figures of 10-1-72-3. Australia may already have enough runs.

44th over: Australia 235-6 (Carey 51, Hardie 5) It’s usually when players go too far up the order that they look like a fish out of water, but Hardie has had the opposite problem when he bats at No8. There’s no time to build an innings and the hitting areas are completely different.

His job here is to give the strike to Carey, which he eventually manages in Livingstone’s over. Carey works two off the pads to reach a classy, unobtrusive fifty from 48 balls. It’s been easy to forget, because of all the crap last summer, what a clever and resourceful player he is.

43rd over: Australia 230-6 (Carey 48, Hardie 3) Australia are still in a good position on a tricky pitch, but that wicket gives England the chance to restrict them to maybe 250-260. Anything near 300 looks really tough.

Four from Rashid’s over; I feel like I’ve typed that a few times today. He has one left, as does Mr Fifth Bowler.

42nd over: Australia 226-6 (Carey 47, Hardie 0) Maxwell sighed demonstratively when he realised he’d hit that straight to Carse. He maded 30 from 26 balls and was looking extremely dangerous.

41st over: Australia 212-5 (Carey 46, Maxwell 17) Harry Brook decides to bowl out Brydon Carse. Carey gets on top of the bounce to pull expertly through midwicket for four, then tucks the last delivery down the leg side for another boundary.

The in-form Carey has moved stealthily to 46 from only 43 balls. Carse finishes with 10-0-55-1.

40th over: Australia 200-5 (Carey 35, Maxwell 16) Another canny, boundaryless over from Rashid. His second spell has been much better: 5-0-22-0 to follow an opening effort of 3-0-21-0. But Australia are still on top.

39th over: Australia 196-5 (Carey 33, Maxwell 14) Maxwell stays deep in his crease to smear Carse over midwicket for four. He’s getting his eye in, which spells trouble for England, although Carse does well to keep him quiet for the rest of the over.

38th over: Australia 189-5 (Carey 33, Maxwell 9) Maxwell launches Rashid over extra cover for a couple, then pushes a single down the ground. Carey cuts another to complete a quiet over.

37th over: Australia 185-5 (Carey 32, Maxwell 6) Carse gets to have a crack at Maxwell, coming on for Archer. It’s no exaggeration to say that the match could be decided by whether Maxwell gets in, so it makes sense to keep attacking him with pace. He pulls a single, as does Carey, then Maxwell crashes Carse back over his head for four. That’s a helluva shot.

The over ends with a slower bouncer that Maxwell top-edges well short of fine leg.

36th over: Australia 178-5 (Carey 31, Maxwell 0) Carey clubs Rashid through midwicket for four. The camera couldn’t keep up but the tone of the commentator Ian Ward’s voice suggests it wasn’t far away from the fielder.

“Well done!” says John Starbuck. “No sooner do you take over the OBO but a wicket falls. That’s timing.”

The Dougie Walters of the OBO.

Carey is not out! Yep, it’s umpire’s call on height so Carey survives.

England review for LBW against Carey Big moment, this. Carey pushed around a lovely legbreak from Rashid and was hit on the pad. Alex Wharf gave it not out, albeit after a fair bit of thought. It’s close but I suspect height will save Carey.

35th over: Australia 172-5 (Carey 25, Maxwell 0) Archer greets Glenn Maxwell with a sharp short ball, then beats him outside off stump. I’m sure that was going to be Archer’s last over in this spell, as he only has two left, but with Maxwell new at the crease England might give him one more.

34th over: Australia 171-4 (Smith 60, Carey 24) Cheers Jim, hello everyone. Even though England haven’t played badly, there’s a feeling of inevitability about this game. I’m not sure England picked the right team either: Olly Stone or John Turner (if he exists) for Liam Livingstone would be my hindsight-driven choice.

Anyhow, the first over after the drinks break is a pretty quiet one from Rashid: single, single, dot, dot, dot, single.

33rd over: Australia 168-4 (Smith 59, Carey 22) Alex Carey is in fine fettle, pulling Jofra Archer through midwicket for four. That’s me done for a while, here’s Rob Smyth to take you through the rest of Australia’s innings. Thanks Rob!

32nd over: Australia 162-4 (Smith 58, Carey 17) Rashid returns and brings some control. Smith and Carey rotate strike to pick up five from the over. Jofra is coming back, Harry Brook turning to some pace.

31st over: Australia 157-4 (Smith 57, Carey 16) Carey is dangerous, he lofts Bethell twice down the ground in the over, once for four along the baize and then for SIX high and long into the crowd!

30th over: Australia 145-4 (Smith 53, Carey 5) Steve Smith goes to fifty off 71 balls after Jacks drags down and is flayed away to the fence.

29th over: Australia 139-4 (Smith 48, Carey 4) Alex Carey – Player of the match at Headingley - joins Smith in the middle and is immediately into his work, sweeping and driving the impressively bleached Bethell.

26th over: Australia 131-2 (Smith 44, Green 32) Will Jacks into the attack and Australia get after him straight away. Green thumps him down the ground for four and Smith plays a deft late cut for four more. Power and placement. 11 off the over.

25th over: Australia 120-2 (Smith 38, Green 37) It’s been relatively slow going for Australia as the halfway stage is reached. Bethell is manipulated for seven runs off his over. Green and Smith will know they have chewed up enough deliveries now that one of them has to go on and get a big one.

24th over: Australia 113-2 (Smith 34, Green 34) Carse into his seventh over. Another good one. Mixing up his lengths, the batters can’t get a read on him. He’s gone for just 29 from his seven overs.

23rd over: Australia 108-2 (Smith 32, Green 31) Jacob Bethell replaces Rashid. The youngster struggles himself, sending down two leg side wides before serving up a half tracker that Green pulverises to the leg side boundary.

22nd over: Australia 99-2 (Smith 30, Green 26) Carse into his sixth over. He’s looked much more accurate and comfortable today on his home ground, he took some tap at Headingley despite finishing with three wickets. Three singles off the over, both sides sizing each other up at the moment.

21st over: Australia 95-2 (Smith 28, Green 24) Rashid is struggling with his control, perhaps because of the nippy conditions, and is bunted for two boundaries. Smith paddling fine for four and Green getting a huge stride out and smearing a drive through the covers.

20th over: Australia 84-2 (Smith 22, Green 19) This partnership is just starting to flourish and isn’t far from reaching fifty. Smith and Green find the gaps and run decisively. Six off the over.

19th over: Australia 78-2 (Smith 19, Green 16) Four singles from Rashid. Excuse me whilst I catch up, I got caught up in a stop and chat with a neighbour who took in some post for us. Tittle tattle tithe. Begs the question which cricketers or otherwise OBOers have found themselves inadvertently chewing the breeze and shooting the fat with? The mailbag is open…

18th over: Australia 74-2 (Smith 17, Green 14) “Potts’ haircut and determined countenance put me in mind of a medieval saint. Perhaps depicted in tapestry whilst being executed horribly” emails Charlie Tinsley. Agreed. Quite the Baldrickian vibe about his barnet. His bowling is much better – just a single off his latest over.

17th over: Australia 73-2 (Smith 16, Green 14) Rashid starts after the break. First sighting of spin for the day. The leg-spinning wizard strays onto the pads and is pumped away for four through midwicket by Green. Imperious. Get those fingers warmed up Rash.

16th over: Australia 67-2 (Smith 15, Green 9) Now then! Smith rolls onto his back and resembles a yellow shirted woodlouse after trying and failing to ramp Jofra over the keeper. Smiles all round, Smith doesn’t mind looking a bit daft in pursuit of runs, why change the habit of a lifetime eh Steve? Archer strays on to Smith’s hip and is clipped away fine for four. Easy as that. Time for a drink.

15th over: Australia 62-2 (Smith 11, Green 9) “A bit dopey from England’ drawls Ian Ward on Sky as they are no-balled for having too many fielders behind square on the leg-side. Carse bowls Green with the resultant no ball and draws a cheer from the inattentive punters in the crowd. NOT OUT!

14th over: Australia 58-2 (Smith 9, Green 8) Good stuff from Jofra Archer, just a couple off his over as he finds a good length and asks plenty of questions.

13th over: Australia 56-2 (Smith 9, Green 6) Green picks up a three with a guide to deep point after having collected a couple with an outside edge in the same region. Beaten! Carse jags one past Smith’s outside edge as the batter plays away from his body.

12th over: Australia 51-2 (Smith 9, Green 1) Potts continues with two slips in place. Green pokes into the off side and takes a single to get off the mark. Smith pulls powerfully but Jacob Bethell just about manages to stop the boundary on the square leg sponge.

11th over: Australia 46-2 (Smith 6, Green) Another sizeable human arrives at the crease. The Jolly Yella Batter – Cameron Green. England have their dander up.

10th over: Australia 41-1 (Marsh 18, Smith 6) We’re going upstairs for a review! Steve Smith was given out on field, pinned lbw by Potts as he shuffled outside his off stump. Smith reviews right away with a disdainful T-sign. He’s right you know, decision overturned - the ball was sliding down and going over. Earlier in the over he pinged Potts through cover for four. It’s a decent duel between these two again.

9th over: Australia 37-1 (Marsh 18, Smith 2) Carse goes full and Marsh drives him back down the ground for four. Runs starting to flow a bit more easily for the Aussies, they’ve had to scrap a bit so far.

8th over: Australia 33-1 (Marsh 14, Smith 2) Archer into his fourth over. He goes full and Marsh whips off his pads in style, timing the absolute undercrackers off the ball as it races to the midwicket fence.

7th over: Australia 26-1 (Marsh 8, Smith 1) Carse replaces Potts. More short stuff? You betcha. Marsh emits a low groan as a short one hits him in the mid-riff. The physio scampers on and is then sent back. Merely a flesh wound. Close! Marsh tries to force off the back foot but doesn’t connect, a leading edge then sees him gladly make it down the other end.

6th over: Australia 25-1 (Marsh 7, Smith 1) Oooph. Archer has Smith hopping about at the crease and looking in all sorts of trouble. A series of short balls at the chest and then a slightly fuller delivery that squares Smith up completely. A nod of approval from Smudge as he survives the over.

5th over: Australia 23-1 (Marsh 5, Smith 0) Marsh takes a risky single and Jofra Archer has a shy at the stumps… yikes! Marsh was a goner if the throw had hit. Smith covers up to Potts and stays on nought.

4th over: Australia 21-1 (Marsh 3, Smith) Steve Smith is the new man. He’ll get a sighter from the non-strikers end to begin with. Potts got him with a snorter at Headingley, nipping one back into the off bail. I doubt Smith will have forgotten.

3rd over: Australia 12-0 (Short 7, Marsh 3) Probing over from Potts, hitting a good length and finding some nibble despite the blustery conditions.

2nd over: Australia 10-0 (Short 6, Marsh 2) It will be Jofra Archer to open from the Lumley Castle end. Memories of Darren Gough ‘spooking’ Shane Watson come swirling back from my youth. Decent bounce from Archer, he’s up at 90mph in his first over, pushing the batters back into their crease with his pace.

1st over: Australia 6-0 (Short 5, Marsh 1) Potts whizzes in with his dark King Edgar haircut standing out against the grey skies and biscuit coloured pitch. There looks to be decent carry through to the keeper, that’ll encourage the quicks. Short and Marsh get off the mark with glides wide of point for singles. Cut for four! Potts offers width off the final delivery and Short doesn’t miss out.

Here come the players, it looks mighty cold and breezy in Durham but thankfully fine at the moment. Matthew Potts will start with the new ball to Mitch Marsh and Mathew Short. Let’s play!

Eoin Morgan talks on Sky about how crucial it is for England to get something from this series, whether that be victories or big performances from individuals. Ideally both. He talks about not letting losing become a habit, even for a young side without much experience coming up against an Australian side who are World Champions and have won 14 (FOURTEEN) ODIs in a row.

Brydon Carse on playing at his home ground:

Teams:

England 1 Ben Duckett, 2 Phil Salt, 3 Will Jacks, 4 Harry Brook (c), 5 Jamie Smith (wk), 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Jacob Bethell, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Matthew Potts

Australia 1 Matt Short, 2 Mitchell Marsh (c), 3 Steven Smith, 4 Cameron Green, 5 Marnus Labuschagne, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Aaron Hardie, 9 Sean Abbott, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Josh Hazlewood

Travis Head is rested, he sounded full of cold a few days ago when interviewed at Headingley, Ricky Ponting thinks he has a bit of stiffness too.

Adam Zampa is unwell and so also misses out for Australia. Word from the England camp is that Reece Topley is also unwell and due to miss the rest of the series. Get well soon both.

Pre match reading: Adil Rashid has 200 ODI wickets and counting…

Proper Criggit: