Ashes 2025 live score: Stokes aims to launch fightback as Australia look to wrap up victory on day four

Australia have also gone short to Ben Stokes, with three fielders in the deep between forward square leg and fine leg, plus one halfway back and a short leg. This will fatigue Brendan Doggett but Australia do have five seamers on which to call. He’s doing a good job so far, mind, keeping the pace high and Stokes tied down with an accurate barrage.

The trouble is that the leg-side heavy field leaves plenty of space on the off-side. Ben Stokes backs away and whacks into it for three, with Doggett forced to retrieve like a loyal labrador. Stokes’s bat is broken; out come a selection of replacement Gunn & Moore’s.

Scott Boland returns at the other end.

Will Jacks is living dangerously – a bit of a flap at a sharp bouncer from Brendan Doggett that could end up anywhere. It lands safely and trickles down towards fine leg. Doggett had overstepped, so it wouldn’t have mattered, but this will be encouraging Australia to stick with the ploy.

Jacks was hit in the helmet, too, which will require a check.

England have left or defended nearly three-quarters of the balls bowled in this first session — they’ve got their approach spot on so far. Ben Stokes has nipped off for a comfort break and is ready to resume.

This has been an outstanding spell from Michael Neser, giving virtually nothing away and challenging Ben Stokes particularly with nibble from a length. A maiden. 11-1-32-2 his figures so far.

Drinks. England make it through the first hour unscathed

Will Jacks needs to be careful. Another swipe at a Brendan Doggett short ball draws a cursory appeal from behind the stumps. There’s no touch on it but he looks eager to play at it.

Indeed they will. There are six leg side fielders as Brendan Doggett digs a couple in, drawing a flap down the leg side that Will Jacks fails to connect with but then a more confident, competent pull to one of the two men behind square on the boundary for a single.

It looks like traditional tactics to Ben Stokes as he takes strike.

A frisson of excitement for the Australia fielders as Will Jacks gloves one to leg, beaten by the bounce of Michael Neser. Travis Head is under the lid at boot hill but Jacks managed to get it further around the corner, anxiously trotting through for a run to fine leg. Jacks had a bit of strapping on his hand after being struck by Scott Boland earlier – we’ll see if Australia have another go at him with the short ball.

We didn’t see Cameron Green yesterday with the ball but the tall all-rounder may soon be amongst things, Green warming the legs and shoulders in the gully. His height could provide a different challenge with his capacity to generate steep bounce.

Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser continue for now.

This has been just about a perfect start from England. The odd ball is moving off the straight but there is nothing to cause undue concern, and the variable bounce, when it has occurred, has been outside of off stump. This partnership is up to 29 off 69 balls.

Fine batsmanship from Ben Stokes. A perfectly judged leave on length is perhaps a little closer to off stump than he would have liked but it forces Brendan Doggett fuller, giving him a half-volley that he can caress through the covers. He’s grafting hard but doing an excellent job.