Australia v England: Ashes third Test, day one - live

Preamble

Daniel Harris

Morning everyone. Ben Stokes’ side arrive at Adelaide having already experienced their very own Adelaide, the catastroexpletive of Perth rivalling the 2006 abomination for the very specific “They did what?! I feel like vomiting up my insides” energy that, for England fans, feels like home.

And yet, and yet, and yet. Despite the current frothing, we’ve seen wonders over the last few years that have changed our conception of the possible and with it the nature of Test-match cricket, the miracles of Bazball no less inspiring now than then. Moreover, it remains the case that England’s is a team full of matchwinners who may now be acclimatised to conditions; if they can get rolling, Australia will start to wonder.

That “if”, though, is of Cameron Green proportions. With Australia already on a buzz, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon are returning to play at yet another stronghold; their opponents’ total mental disintegration may be too far advanced to be aborted; and even if not, it’s also possible that there’s an insurmountable skill differential in the conditions that will continue to be definitive.

All of which is a long-winded way of saying this could be over soon … but it absolutely isn’t over yet. Go well, people.

Play: 10am local, 10.30am AEDT, 11.30pm GMT

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