48th over: England 297-8 (Bethell 24, Potts 5) Do England go for it or take whatever they can get? It looks like the latter, the first four balls of the over yielding two twos and a one; another one follows, and you can only admire the resilience and skill of the Aussie tweakers – while applauding Marsh’s astute captaincy. It might’ve taken him longer that it should’ve done to schlep his quicks off, but his frequent bowling changes have prevented the batters from settling.

47th over: England 291-8 (Bethell 21, Potts 2) Potts needs to get Bethell on strike and does so immediately, driving to cover for one. But when the youngster takes a single himself off the penultimate delivery of the over, they can’t complete the second run off the last, so he’’s stuck at the non-striker’s as Head returns.

WICKET! Archer c sub (Connolly) b Labuschagne 4 (England 288-8)

47th over: England 288-7 (Bethell 20, Archer 4) Labuschagne replaces Zampa to clean up the tail, Bethell taking one down the ground.

46th over: England 287-7 (Bethell 19, Archer 4) Oh this is lovely, Bethell stepping down the track and inside the line to flow four over extra; he’s a player and, like his skipper, you can tell he knows it. He gets down the other end with a single, then Archer sweeps hard for four more before missing with a reverse. A better over for England, nine from it.

45th over: England 278-7 (Bethell 14, Archer 0) Three more dots from Zampa, who now has 3-42 off nine. He took some tap at the start but figured out a method, and against the spin, England just have’t been able to marry hitting with common sense.

WICKET! Carse c Green b Zampa 2 (England 278-7)

45th over: England 278-6 (Bethell 14, Carse 2) Bethell gave Zampa a tousing just the other day, but all he can manage off the first ball of this latest over is a single.

44th over: England 277-6 (Bethell 13, Carse 2) Head returns and we learn that Dwarhsuis has strained a pec chucking in from the boundary; you feel for him, because that might be his tour. England, though, have work to do, a single coming from each ball of the over bar the last, a dot, and the sense now is that they’ll do well to make many more than 300.

43rd over: England 272-6 (Bethell 10, Carse 0) Suddenly, England are in danger of falling well below-par, and I’m a little surprised Livingstone attacked like that; I expected the others to swing around him. Zampa, meanwhile, will love this, a new batter needing to score and Carse cannot, his wicket-maiden is also the first maiden of the match.

WICKET! Livingstone c Green b Zampa 13 (England 272-5)

42nd over: England 272-5 (Livingstone 13, Bethell 10) We see Dwarshuis with a heavily strapped shoulder and neck; what a shame for that to happen on his debut, though at least ill fortune left him alone long enough for him to get his maiden ODI wicket. Meantime, back in the middle, Short rushes through another cheap over, just three from it.

41st over: England 269-5 (Livingstone 11, Bethell 9) The problem England have currently is that they don’t have that much batting to come. Carse can whack it but they won’t want him to bat a long time, and Livingstone, who I’m certain is desperate to assault Labuschagne, knows he needs to be there at the end if possible. So it is that another over of mysterious spin is taken for just four, and I’d expect Bethell to have a go at it soon/

40th over: England 265-5 (Livingstone 10, Bethell 6) Adil Rashid will be watching this and fancying himself, because Australia’s spinners have put a brake on England’s scoring. This latest Short over goes for four, all of them singles, and with 10 to go a total of around 340 looks likely; decent, but not definitive.

39th over: England 261-5 (Livingstone 8, Bethell 4) Labuschagne continues and, after a single to Livingstone, Bethell waits for one, opening the face as ball passes bat to guide four between point and short third. Gosh, but the next delivery keeps very low, the batter going back and unable to get close enough to play a shot; he’ll be relived to see his off-stump intact.

38th over: England 256-5 (Livingstone 7, Bethell 0) Out comes the 20-year-old for his debut knock and England are wobbling a little; they’ll still post something challenging, but it no longer looks likely to be a monster.

WICKET! Smith c sub (Connolly) b Short 23 (England 256-5)

38th over: England 256-4 (Smith 23, Livingstone 7) The thing about Labuschagne’s bowling is that he’s almost crouching at the point of delivery and the arm goes round rather than high, so doesn’t offer batters the bounce they need to hit over the top, rushing and crowding them at the same time. I guess there’s also a mental thing: the sense that he’s not good enough to hurt quality batters, never mind set quality batters, but back to the now, Smith hammers shorts’ first ball over the top for four, then takes to towards point. And have a look! The next delivery is hoiked high around the corner and Hardie is there! But when he takes the catch – and it’s a beauty, leaping high, hands above head – he realises that momentum is taking him over the rope, so he throws the ball away; smart work, because he’ll have been buzzing at the grab.

37th over: England 248-4 (Smith 16, Livingstone 6) Labuschagne raps Smith on the pad, stepping back, and he hollers for lb; not out, says the umpire. He gave that a pretty good rip as it goes, but I think it was a little high. A second dot follows, then Smith, who’s been a revelation this summer, creams six over midwicket, a wide and a one completing a decent over considering it came from Marnus’ golden arm, eight from it.

36th over: England 240-4 (Smith 9, Livingstone 6) With two new batters at the crease, Marsh looks to rush through another over, Short replacing Head. Smith takes one and a wide soon follows, the the in-form Livingstone scoops two to fine leg, then goes again and this time the ball runs to the fence for four. Eight from the over, and England needed that.

WICKET! Brook c&b Labuschagne 39 (England 232-4)

35th over: England 232-3 (Brook 39, Smith 8) As Dwarshuis runs around the boundary, apparently trying to prove his fitness, Labuschagne returns; I’m a little surprised at that, as he got the wicket but over the stretch you’d expect him go get the treatment. And shonuff, Smith clobbers through midwicket for four then, after a single, Brook sweeps to the fence then bashes over midwicket for six!

34th over: England 217-3 (Brook 29, Smith 3) Ahahaha, now it’s Head bowling, and that makes sense: the spinners have been better at restricting the flow of runs. The quicks, I guess, have little margin for error because anything into the pitch sits up, whereas the spinners are able to make the ball stick, and two singles is a decent return from a loosening over.

33rd over: England 214-3 (Brook 28, Smith 1) In comms, Ponting reveals that Maxwell messaged him to say “He won’t be able to sleep tonight” but it’s not clear whether he means Duckett, after getting out to him and that, or Marnus, after getting him out with that.

WICKET! Duckett c&b Labuschagne 95 (England 213-3)

33rd over: England 213-2 (Duckett 95, Brook 27) Perhaps running out of options, Marsh introduces Marnus to the attack who of course conducts himself like an experienced spinner and starts nicely.

32nd over: England 211-2 (Duckett 94, Brook 27) Green returns and immediately goes around to Duckett, getting up some decent pace. But just as he looks to have got out of the over with little damage done, he gets all big, trying a bouncer that Brook easily helps over the infield for four through deep backward square.

31st over: England 204-2 (Duckett 92, Brook 22) I wonder if Zampa’a bowling a little quicker than usual – he’s certainly bowling fuller. And he’s also bowling better, another economical over ceding just three.

30th over: England 201-2 (Duckett 90, Brook 21) Just as I’m wondering where Dwarshuis is, Ponting says he’s been off the pitch for a while, then Duckett reverses Short around the corner for for. A single follows, then Brook again takes one step to smite six, this time over long-off, before lapping to fine leg for two. Thirteen off the over, and if the rough calculation is to double whatever a team has at this stage, Australia need to get the abacus out.

29th over: England 188-2 (Duckett 85, Brook 13) Zampa has settled now and he rushes through an over for the cost of just three singles. But if he – and Australia – can’t pick up more wickets, they’ll need to bat superbly just to make a contest out of this.

28th over: England 185-2 (Duckett 83, Brook 12) After ceding two singles Short finds a bit of drift away, missing Brook’s outside edge, and I think the last time a ball beat the bat was when Dwarshuis bowled Salt 20 overs ago. Two more singles follow after which Brook decides he’s seen enough, waiting for one before stepping down and swinging high over cover for six. He’s in.

27th over: England 175-2 (Duckett 81, Brook 4) Will Brook go at Zampa? No, or not yet. The balls are coming fuller now and they’re harder to get away, three singles coming off another tight over. Have Australia belatedly worked out how to bowl on this track?

“Afternoon Danno, you beautiful human,” begins Simo McMahon. “Shorts can be worn all year round unless the temperature drops below zero, and even then they’re acceptable with woolly socks, hiking boots and a bobble hat. Glad we’ve cleared that up. England will be looking at 400+ here..?”

I’m a big shorts guy – at primary school they had to make me wear trousers – but primarily with flip-flops as I’m also a big vibes guy, though I agree that they’re essential on any hike, so boots then.

26th over: England 172-2 (Duckett 80, Brook 2) Looking again at the wicket, the fullness of the delivery was what prevented Jacks from getting the elevation he was after, so credit to the bowler. And this is a good over from Short, his fourth over ceding just two singles.

“The reason this impressive score doesn’t impress one,” writes Krishnaoorthy V, “is that whatever the English can do, the Aussies can do one better.”

If only it was only one.

25th over: England 170-2 (Duckett 79, Brook 1) Other hand, last thing Australia need is Harrance Cherrington Brook teeing off, but he contents himself with a gentle start, shoving to mid-off for one, and Duckett then twizzles to midwicket, also for one.

WICKET! Jacks c Smith b Zampa 62 (England 168-2)

25th over: England 168-1 (Duckett 78, Jacks 62) Zampa returns and immediately, Duckett sweeps him – for two – then a single brings Jacks on to strike.

24th over: England 165-1 (Duckett 75, Jacks 62) Short returns – an 11th bowling change, notes Broad. He reckons it’s a plan to keep England guessing; I wonder if it’s a response to the treatment England are handing out. And there’s the biggest cheer of the day so far, Jacks stepping away to make room the bowler is seeking to deny him, driving and megging Abbott, who’s properly having one out there. A wide and two singles complete the over, the only question facing the batters whether to really go after it given how much there is to come, or keep doing what they’re doing.

23rd over: England 157-1 (Duckett 73, Jacks 57) “I’ve just seen the sun come out and that’ll be music to the England batters’ ears,” Colemanballs Broad, relishing the taste of leather on willow. Meantie, Hardie runs in and Jscks unloads the suitcase at his third delivery, edging four over backward point; two singles follow and that’s a comparatively quiet over, just six coming from it.

22nd over: England 151-1 (Duckett 72, Jacks 52) Eeeeesh, Jacks hauls a pull for two, then when one sits up outside off he makes a cuppa before clouting it to the square-leg fence to raise an impressive fifty. The more I see of this pitch, the more I think Test-match lines and length is what’s needed her, cramping the batters: anything wide or into the pitch sits up. Thing is, Australia are now bowling at two set batters in nick and, when Duckett takes strike, he strokes through mid-on for four, then gets on top of one that leaps, cross-batting from above the shoulder, into the ground almost like a tennis shot and to the rope at midwicket. Fifteen off the over, Abbott’s five so far disappearing for 50, and Australia are in big trouble. Don’t laugh.

21st over: England 136-1 (Duckett 64, Jacks 45) Again, Marsh turns to Hardie, who has now bowled 63 spells in the innings; Jacks takes one to point, then Duckett stands and delivers, planting feet and waiting to lash through cover for four. And look at that, a slower one standing up and Duckett in no mood to miss out, on to it like me at a bag of McCoy’s chilli, humping hard to the fence at midwicket. Nine from the over, and if Australia can’t find something, they could be facing a monster – and we know how that can go.

20th over: England 127-1 (Duckett 56, Jacks 44) Abbott returns and begins with a leg-bye. Then, just as this looks like a tighter over, two singles the only addition to the scoring, the fifth ball goes for four leg-byes and a further single means it yields eight; australia badly need a wicket.

19th over: England 119-1 (Duckett 55, Jacks 42) England milk Zampa, who’s finding it hard – Duckett’s reverse-sweep gave him and Mitch Marsh something to think about because they now need to cover an area they thought they could ignore. So the first four balls of this latest over yield a two and three ones, then Jacks gets his front leg out of the road to muscle four down the ground; in comms, Wardy notes the difficulty of bowling to him, a man who wants to go downtown, and Duckett, eager to whack square. Nine off the over, and Australia are under pressure.

18th over: England 110-1 (Duckett 51, Jacks 37) Green returns and Jacks hoists his first delivery over midwicket for three, then Abbott does really well to scoop Duckett’s pull away from the fence as the batters run two. A single and two more twos follow, the second raising Duckett’s 50, an over that didn’t feel expensive going for 10.

“Do you think the Englush dressing room refer to our Mr Duckworth as ‘Ducky’?” returns Deano the Deanmeister.

I assume so, though fear we’ll never again enjoy the halcyon days of Cooky, Straussy, Trotty, KP-y, Colly, Belly, Matty, Brezzy, Swanny, Broady and Jimmy.

17th over: England 100-1 (Duckett 46, Jacks 32) In this next passage, I’d expect England to up the pressure on Australia’s young attack, and after Jacks takes one, Duckett is down the pitch and down on one knee to reverse-sweep Zampa for four; he really got hold of that. A one-hander for one follows, one more to Jacks raises the fifty partnership, and two more singles close out another good over for England; Zampa has gone for 18 in his two overs thus far.

16th over: England 91-1 (Duckett 40, Jacks 29) It’s a nice suffix, the “-o” on the end of things. In Ghana, if you’re especially grateful, you might say “Thank you-o” rather than just “Thank you”, which I reckon would work just as well with insults: “Your mum-o,” for example. Cricket, neologisms, it’s all going on here. And it’s all going on in the middle too, Hardie – back into the attack and the pick of the bowlers so far – rattling through another over for the cost of just two singles. That’s drinks, England going but not getting away.

15th over: England 89-1 (Duckett 39, Jacks 28) Zampa into the attack and this might be the key moment of the innings; England start well, Duckett turning to midwicket before Jacks extends arms and front leg to mash six down the ground. Two singles follow, and that’s nine off the over, the partnership 42 off 44.

14th over: England 80-1 (Duckett 37, Jacks 21) I know England are looking to the future – I’m enjoying it – but are we really saying Joe Root isn’t one of their best 50-over batters? I, for one, am not, now that you ask. I get leaving him out to prolong his Test career, if that’s what this is, but I still want him in my team, and I’m pretty sure he’d be good at milking Green, running in and bowling a tight line as I type. In the event, he cedes three singles garnished with consecutive wides, and Australia could really use another wicket.

“Hi Danno,” begins Deano Kinsella, and I can’t pretend this game of Australianising names isn’t appealing to me – I’m looking forward to Robbo Smyth taking over from me later on. “Sorry I’ve got to leave your OBO now. I have to drive down through Connemara on a beautiful sunny day. Anyone know if there’s a TMS link for the Englishman abroad please?”

Can anyone help, please? Poor old Deano sounds like he’s enduring a stinker here.

13th over: England 75-1 (Duckett 35, Jacks 20) Hardie returns, which makes sense – England struggled to get him away first up. And they’re still struggling now, Duckett walloping straight to cover when seeking the fence, three singles the only scoring shots.