The Baggy Greens v England: Final Ashes Test, The Third Day Gets Underway

The cricketers are preparing to step onto the pitch for an lengthy first session scheduled to run for two and a half hours. If Travis Head is batting at lunch, Australia will be strapped into the box seat.

A Sea of Pink for a Cause

The SCG is observing Jane McGrath Day today, with everybody wearing pink in support of the McGrath Foundation. The day honors the foundation's commitment to providing cancer support.

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 message to Australia or his own bowlers. England's captain concluded a frustrating second evening in Sydney by swapping words 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 put an arm around his opponent’s shoulder to continue the exchange.

As the umpires moved in, the England skipper departed after giving Labuschagne a squeeze. As per the ICC code of conduct, the England captain could be reprimanded for “inappropriate physical contact”.

Questions Over Australia's Bowling Tactics

When Shane Warne called his biography No Spin, it wasn’t a recommendation. Speaking for the dead is unacceptably presumptuous, but his lifelong stance was unequivocal in supporting fellow spinners. Sides should always retain a spin bowling option was his common contention.

Nor is allegiance of style the only factor. Former pace colleague Jason Gillespie echoed the sentiment watching the fifth Ashes Test. “You need that variety,” he said on radio.

Australia didn’t have it. Instead, they had a trio of pace specialists, 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 significant stands while Joe Root compiled his highest score in Australia of 160 and England their highest score of the series, 384.

It could have been advantageous to turn to specialist spin when Root and Harry Brook were coasting. It would have been helpful to prevent Mitchell Starc from a taxing fourth spell.

Setting the Scene for Day Three

Greetings and welcome to our updates of day three at the SCG. There’s a big first session coming, but it’s impossible to escape the series finale atmosphere that has characterized this Test so far.

We’re used to anticlimactic final Tests, particularly when England play in Australia. This one seems particularly subdued, largely due to the pre-series hype. Two dead rubbers? It’s not what we thought ahead of 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. At this moment, a 4-1 scoreline appears probable. An underwhelming display with the ball from England let Australia race to 166 for two, a deficit of 218, in only 34.1 overs. Travis Head is 91 not out from 87 balls; Michael Neser, who came in as nightwatchman has scored a single from fifteen deliveries.

Neser was struck nastily on the elbow near the end of play, a reminder that this pitch – though generally batsman-friendly – is on the capricious side. If England, particularly Matthew Potts, find their length this morning they can force their way back into the game.

In the context of the match, the morning's play is vital. It's simply that the fixture lacks the significance we anticipated.