The Ashes, 3rd Test: England vs Australia, Day 1 - as it happened

England have not gone over the top with skipper Alastair Cook and James Anderson playing the hype of 5-0 win down while Australia and skipper Michael Clarke are just about hanging on. Catch all the highlights from the 3rd Ashes Test at Manchester. (Scorecard | Commentary)

 

23:15 (IST): That's stumps on Day 1. Australia did well to end the first day's play losing just three wickets. Michael Clarke (125*) and Steven Smith (70*) have fought well to add 174 runs for the 4th wicket. Clarke's 125 not out, the first hundred by an Australian this series, helped the tourists to 303 for three at Thursday's close in a match his side, 2-0 down with three to play, must win to have any hope of regaining the Ashes. (Day 1 report)

 

22:50 (IST): Michael Clarke and Steve Smith have added 171 runs for the fourth wicket. Australia 300/3 after 88 overs.

 

22:08 (IST): Michael Clarke scores his 24th century in Test cricket. Steve Smith also notched up his 5th half-century. Australia 273/3 after 81 overs.

 

20:17 (IST): Apologies from our side. Lots of technical issues today so no updates. Will try to keep going now. Meanwhile, Australia have fought back from 129/3 to 180/3 at Tea. Skipper Michael Clarke is batting on 55 off 90 balls while Steve Smith bats on 20 off 46.

 

18:44 (IST): Chris Rogers goes from strength to strength. Batting on 81 now. Australia 119/2 after 33 overs.

 

18:35 (IST): Another four by Clarke (18) off Anderson, not convincing though. A thickish outside edge. 110/2 after 31 overs. Rogers bats on 72 off 88 balls.

 

18:31 (IST): Australia have begun well after lunch. A four to Chris Rogers off Broad and one by Michael Clarke off Anderson. Pitch looking superb. Australia 104/2 after 20 overs.

 

17:43 (IST): Lots of reactions on Twitter after Khawaja's shocking dismissal. (Read story here and look what Aussie PM said here)

Umpires protecting each other is the main reason DRS is causing controversy! - Scott Styris

That is a ridiculous decision by both the on & off field umpires. DRS creating yet more controversy. Any wonder players don't walk! - Alec Stewart

And people say you should Walk .... No chance when you get decisions like that... - Michael Vaughan

Feel for a young player who is trying to make his way in the game.... Really poor decision.... - Michael Vaughan

#ICC please explain the farcical decision of Usman Khawaja, players careers on the line here! - Tom Moody

That is an unbelievable decision what a joke by both on & off field umpires, covering each others backsides! - Tom Moody

DRS was introduced to eradicate the human howlers...humans are out to prove that no technology can eliminate  human errors. - Aakash Chopra

I've just sat down to watch the test. That was one of the worst cricket umpiring decisions I have ever seen. - Kevin Rudd

Dharmasena was the 3rd umpire.. And he will umpire the next test!! Should be sacked! - Dean Jones

Session over, it's lunch on Day 1. Australia 92/2. Chris Rogers on 67 and Michael Clarke on 5. Bresnan and Swann took a wicket each.

 

17:20 (IST): England appeal, Usman Khawaja given out by the on-field umpire! Reviewed by Khawaja. Lots of replays. Nothing of consequence on the hot-spot. There is no noise. Commentators think enough evidence to overturn. But he is given out. Shocking! Later on snicko too, no edge. Khawaja shakes his head, skipper Michael Clarke comes in. Australia 82/2 in 23 overs.

 

And Chris Rogers completes 20,000 first-class runs with that single, first run since Watson's dismissal. Australia 77/1 after 20 overs.

 

17:04(IST): All has gone a bit quiet at Old Trafford. A couple of maidens - one by Bresnan, one by Anderson - as England look to tighten the screws after Watson's dismissal. Australia 76/1 after 19 overs.

 

Watson departs! Not Lbw this time though. Tim Bresnan bowls one back of a length, just leaving the batsman and Watson edges to skipper Alastair Cook at first slip. Australia 76/1. Watson scored 19.

 

16:49 (IST): Sorry for the inconvenience. Technical issues here. Australia meanwhile going great as Chris Rogers hits a blistering fifty and Shane Watson playing second fiddle.

 

16:11 (IST): Another four by Watson off Broad and then Rogers hitting Anderson for one past the boundary as Australia impressing early on. 37/0 after 9 overs.

 

16:00 (IST): Even as Anderson and Broad try hard on what looks a fantastic wicket, Rogers (22) and Watson (7) stay strong after first seven overs. Australia 29/0.

15:38 (IST): Good start for Australia as Chris Rogers hits a boundary in the first over of James Anderson. Shane Watson follows it up with a crispy four off Stuart Broad. Early signs encouraging for England too though with a bit of swing and bounce. Australia 9/0 after 2 overs.

 

15:00 (IST): Australia have won the toss and will bat. The changes are confirmed - David Warner for Phil Hughes, Mitchell Starc for injured James Pattinson and Nathan Lyon for Ashton Agar. Warner to bat at number six. England stay unchanged.

 

14:38(IST): David Warner for Phil Hughes, Mitchell Starc for James Pattinson and Nathan Lyon for Ashton Agar is the word from Australian camp while England remain unchanged, Daily Telegraph journalist Nick Hoult tweets.

 

14:33 (IST): BBC's Chief Sports Correspondent has just tweeted that he has spoken to Kevin Pietersen and looks like there is positive news on that front with the batsman confirming 'he is fit' to play the 3rd Test starting in just a while from now.

 

 

Old Trafford pitch. Michael Vaughan says its hard and will be the best pitch of the series. pic.twitter.com/0Qwykfq7Fb

- Malcolm Conn (@malcolmconn) August 1, 2013

 

 

 

Ian Bell after a net heads out to the middle to look at the pitch #Ashes #Rise pic.twitter.com/FusQFleZ62

- England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) August 1, 2013

 

 

13:17 (IST): "I think they can (win the series)," Warne, in England as a television commentator, said. "I think they will go into this Test match like they think they can too.

"I think Australia have a good chance and if it is 2-1 going to Durham, where anything can happen up there, they're back in the series." Shane Warne has said this as he gave spinners Ashton Agar and Nathan Lyon a 'pep talk' before the 3rd Ashes Test. (Read story)

 

13:10 (IST): Aussie skipper Michael Clarke has said that he had no intention of calling time on his Test career any time soon.

"I'm not retiring in the near future," he said in Manchester, where the third Test starts at Old Trafford on Thursday.

"I'm like every other player -- you get frustrated that you don't make as many runs as you would like and get frustrated that the team's not having success but that only makes the challenge more exciting I guess." (Read the full quotes copy from Clarke presser here)

 

13:02 (IST): Speaking on the Manchester wicket, England skipper Alastair Cook on Wednesday said that it is 'getting better' now. "Old Trafford is notorious for having a wicket that is not aesthetically pleasing if I could put it that way," Cook told reporters.

"But I don't think it's going to make any difference at all. I think it's actually a better looking Old Trafford wicket than normally actually." (Read full report)

 

13:00 (IST): Pietersen suffered a left calf injury during England's crushing 347-run win in the second Test at Lord's, which put the Ashes-holders 2-0 up in the five-match series with three to play.

And while no final decision has yet been made on whether he will be in the third Test side, England captain Alastair Cook was upbeat about his chances when speaking to reporters at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

"(He is) pretty good. He's come through training the past two days and done everything that's been asked of him," Cook said. (Read full story on the speculation about Kevin Pietersen)

 

12:54 (IST): Michael Clarke, writing in The Daily Telegraph, has said that Australia have left the Lord's Test behind them, and that, while history cannot be changed, "great lessons can be learnt from what goes before to make for better planning and preparation".

Ahead of the third Test at Old Trafford, starting on Thursday (August 1), Clarke also said: "England were the better team at Lord's but we know we can beat them. There are three Tests left and we always turn up to a game believing we can win." (Read complete story)

12:53 (IST): Old Trafford has witnessed some memorable Ashes feats down the years, Shane Warne's so-called "Ball of the Century" in 1993 and Jim Laker's 19-wicket haul in 1956 high on the list.

If Australia is to avoid an embarrassingly early end to the 2013 Ashes series, it will have to pull off another in the third Test starting in a while from now. (Read full report here)