🔗 Share this article The Baggy Greens v England: Fifth Ashes Test, The Third Day Gets Underway The players are about to take the field for an lengthy first session scheduled to run for two and a half hours. Should Travis Head remain at the crease by the lunch break, Australia will be firmly in the box seat. A Pink Outpouring of Support The SCG is observing Jane McGrath Day today, with spectators adorned in pink in solidarity with 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 signal sent to the Australians or his own bowlers. Ben Stokes signed off a frustrating second evening in Sydney by exchanging remarks out in the middle with Marnus Labuschagne. Appearing to respond to a comment by Labuschagne, Stokes was heard saying “shut the fuck up” at the end of the over. He subsequently approached and put an arm around his opponent’s shoulder to continue the exchange. As the umpires moved in, the England skipper departed following a brief pat. Under ICC regulations, the England captain could be reprimanded for making improper physical contact. Questions Over Australia's Bowling Tactics Shane Warne's biography title 'No Spin' was not an endorsement of the tactic. Speaking for the dead is unacceptably presumptuous, but his lifelong stance was unequivocal in supporting fellow spinners. Teams should always give themselves the option of spin bowling was his common contention. Loyalty to a bowling type isn't the sole consideration. Former pace colleague Jason Gillespie echoed the sentiment observing the Sydney Test. “You need that variety,” he stated during commentary. Australia didn’t have it. Instead, they had three specialist fast bowlers, two all-rounders used in puzzling roles and a sprinkle of part-time guff. They permitted England's batting to accelerate, with significant stands while Joe Root compiled his highest score in Australia of 160 and England their best total in the Ashes, 384. It would have been helpful to turn to specialist spin 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 the third day's play in Sydney. There’s a big first session coming, but it’s impossible to escape the end-of-term feeling 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 inconsequential matches? 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. 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 91 not out from 87 balls; the nightwatchman Michael Neser has scored a single from fifteen deliveries. Neser was struck nastily on the elbow just before the close, a reminder that this pitch – though generally batsman-friendly – 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. In the context of the match, this is a big first session. It's simply that the fixture lacks the significance we anticipated.