🔗 Share this article Australia v England: Fifth Ashes Test, The Third Day Unfolds The players are about to take the field for an extended first session scheduled to run for two and a half hours. Should Travis Head remain at the crease by the lunch break, Australia will be strapped into the box seat. A Pink Outpouring of Support The SCG is observing Jane McGrath Day today, with everybody wearing pink in solidarity with the McGrath Foundation. The day honors the foundation's commitment to offering support for cancer patients. A supporter clad entirely in pink makes their way into the Sydney Cricket Ground. A Heated Exchange Mars the Evening It was hard to know whether it was a signal sent to the Australians or his own bowlers. England's captain concluded a annoying day's end in Sydney by exchanging remarks out in the middle with Marnus Labuschagne. Seemingly reacting to something said by Labuschagne, Stokes was audibly telling “shut the fuck up” at the end of the over. He then walked over and placed a hand on the batsman's shoulder to prolong the conversation. With the officials intervening, Stokes walked away after giving Labuschagne a squeeze. Under ICC regulations, Stokes potentially faces sanction for “inappropriate physical contact”. Questions Over Australia's Bowling Tactics When Shane Warne called his biography No Spin, it wasn’t a recommendation. It's presumptuous to speak for the deceased, but his lifelong stance was unequivocal in backing his guild. Teams should always give themselves the option of spin bowling was his common contention. Loyalty to a bowling type isn't the sole consideration. Former pace colleague Jason Gillespie had the same view watching the fifth Ashes Test. “You need that variety,” he said on radio. The hosts lacked that option. Instead, they had three specialist fast bowlers, two all-rounders used in puzzling roles and a sprinkle of part-time guff. They had an England innings that was allowed to pull away, with substantial partnerships while Joe Root compiled his highest score in Australia of 160 and England their best total in the Ashes, 384. It would have been helpful to introduce a specialist spinner when Root and Harry Brook were settling in. It would have been helpful to save Mitchell Starc from bowling a fourth spell. Preamble: A Session of Significance Hello and welcome to live coverage of day three at the SCG. A crucial morning session awaits, but it’s impossible to escape the end-of-term feeling that has characterized this Test so far. We’re used to anticlimactic final Tests, especially on Australian soil. This one seems particularly subdued, mainly because there was such expectation. Two inconsequential matches? It defies our predictions when we were imagining the 2025-26 Ashes. The stakes are further reduced of a potential whitewash; the series will end either 4-1 or 3-2 to Australia. Right here, right now, a 4-1 scoreline appears probable. An underwhelming display with the ball from England allowed Australia to charge to 166 for two, trailing by 218 runs, in only 34.1 overs. Travis Head is 91 not out from 87 balls; Michael Neser, who came in as nightwatchman has 1 from 15. Neser was struck nastily on the elbow just before the close, a reminder that this pitch – though generally batsman-friendly – is somewhat unpredictable. Should England's bowlers, namely Matthew Potts, discover the right length this morning they could reignite the contest. Regarding this specific game, the morning's play is vital. It's simply that the fixture lacks the significance we anticipated.