The Ashes live scores: Follow the action from Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and England
Australia are eyeing an Ashes whitewash - and the bulk of the bumper crowd on hand at the MCG is hoping to watch it happen.
The Aussies may have wrapped up the series inside just 11 days, but they’re keen to put the foot on the throat even in the absence of star bowling duo Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon.
Can they continue to roll, or will BazBalling England finally provide some stern resistance?
Follow the latest below, with play set to start at 10.30am EDT (7.30am WA time).
Key Events
BOLAND’S ON FIRE AT THE G
Will Jacks is cut in half, and it takes the inside edge on the way through to Carey.
Boland has taken three for spit in four overs to open up England again!
20th Over: ENG 6-77
Richardson gets too straight, and some hard running gets Will Jacks three through backward square.
Loose! Stokes just jabs at one half-heartedly and is lucky not to edge.
Steps down and works a single wide of point.
LBW shout, but an inside edge saves Jacks, it’s also a no-ball.
Jacks pops one up awkwardly to the gap at midwicket.
19th Over: ENG 6-69
HUH?! Will Jacks dances down and goes to smack Boland, and he’s nearly bowled through the gate.
Does it again to get off the mark with a single that eveades mid-off running back
BOWLED HIM! Smith’s gone
Boland to Smith.
GOT HIM!
Carbon copy of his dismissal at the Gabba as Boland works one through the gate to take the top of middle stump.
Loose defence from Smith and Australia could bowl England out tonight!
17th Over: ENG 5-68
How will Stokes play this now?
He’s defending Richardson back down the pitch.
He’s caught in two minds, trying to leave as he bottom edges to slip.
A maiden
BOLAND GETS BROOK
Just as things had settled down Boland gets one to move in on the angle and wrap Brook on the pads.
He doesn’t even bother reveiwing and that’s a huge breakthrough with his counterattack threatening.
Boland gets the MCG to their feet once again.
16th Over: ENG 4-62
Richardson to Brook.
Things have settled after that helter-skelter start.
Brook gets a single to mid-wicket the only run from the over.
15th Over: ENG 4-61
Boland continues.
Brooks gets a single to third-man.
Beaten! Stokes walks down and defends but it straightens to beat the edge.
Gets off strike with a quick single.
Overpitched and Brook cracks the coverdrive but Head does well to stop the boundary
14th Over: ENG 4-56
Here he is, Jhye Richardson to bowl his first Test ball in four years.
It’s on the pads as Brook flicks one.
Stokes sees out the rest
13th Over: ENG 4-55
Brook drops and runs a single to point as England brings the deficit under 100
Stokes drives two through the covers.
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