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The players are about to take the field for an lengthy first session scheduled to run for two and a half hours. If Travis Head is batting at lunch, Australia will be firmly in the box seat.

A Pink Outpouring of Support

It’s Jane McGrath Day at the SCG, with everybody wearing pink in solidarity with the McGrath Foundation. The occasion commemorates 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 message to Australia or his own bowlers. England's captain concluded a annoying day's end in Sydney by swapping words out in the middle with Marnus Labuschagne. Appearing to respond to a comment by Labuschagne, Stokes was heard saying “shut the fuck up” as the over concluded. He then walked over and placed a hand on the batsman's shoulder to prolong the conversation.

As the umpires moved in, Stokes walked away after giving Labuschagne a squeeze. Under ICC regulations, Stokes potentially faces sanction for “inappropriate physical contact”.

The Spin Debate Ignites Anew

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

Loyalty to a bowling type isn't the sole consideration. His old teammate Jason Gillespie had the same view observing the Sydney Test. “You need that variety,” he said on radio.

Australia didn’t have it. Instead, they had a trio of pace specialists, a couple of curiously employed all-rounders and a sprinkle of part-time guff. They had an England innings that was allowed to pull away, with substantial partnerships while Joe Root went on to his highest score in Australia of 160 and England their highest score of the series, 384.

It could have been advantageous to introduce a specialist spinner when Root and Harry Brook were settling in. It might have eased the burden 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. A crucial morning session awaits, but it’s impossible to escape the series finale atmosphere that has pervaded this Test so far.

Final Ashes Tests often prove anticlimactic, particularly when England play in Australia. This one seems particularly subdued, largely due to the pre-series hype. Two inconsequential matches? It defies our predictions ahead of the 2025-26 Ashes.

There isn’t even the jeopardy of a possible series sweep; the outcome will be either 4-1 or 3-2 to Australia. Right here, right now, a 4-1 scoreline appears probable. A poor bowling performance from England let Australia race to 166 for two, a deficit of 218, in only 34.1 overs. Travis Head is unbeaten on 91 from 87 balls; the nightwatchman Michael Neser has 1 from 15.

Neser received a painful blow to the elbow near the end of play, a reminder that this pitch – though largely good for batting – is on the capricious side. Should England's bowlers, namely Matthew Potts, discover the right length this morning they can force their way back into the game.

Regarding this specific game, this is a big first session. It’s just that the match isn’t as big as we hoped.