England vs Australia - Ashes LIVE: Scorecard and updates on Day ...

13:19

Mark Wood is to sit out the Hundred as England look to protect their only fit express pace bowler in the build-up to October's World Cup.

The news will be a blow for the ECB’s premier limited-overs competition and London Spirit in particular, who have also lost Olly Stone to a hamstring injury this week, but highlights the importance of Wood across all three international formats.

READ MORE BELOW. 

13:14

Australia have some thinking to do as they (try to) enjoy their lunch. England are looking particularly strong and, but for a possible rain break, should continue to make the most of the next session after the break. 

Aside from taking the sting out of Mitchell Starc, England's top order have also managed to stay on the front foot in the face of Murphy's spin. Crawley has been superb, continuing his consistent run in the series. Getting him out should be the visitor's number one priority. 

13:03

The last one before lunch, and Starc takes charge, holding England at bay with a run of dot balls. 

Australia will feel far from settled after this first session, however. England have been able to make serious headway, despite the shattering of the opening partnership. They cut subdued figures on the green, as Starc looks to see out a maiden - one of very, very few for the visitors this morning. 

He's thwarted at the last by Stokes, who sneaks a single with a whipped shot through backwards square leg. That's lunch, everyone. 

12:59

Crawley continues to make hay with the unsteady Australian bowlers, smashing the ball fine on bended knee to put four runs in his pocket. He basically repeats the action off the next delivery, taking a free hit off Murphy's slightly lacking ball, to win another boundary. 

Stokes gets his single doggedly, as England continue their climb.

12:55

Stokes can't get much purchase off Starc, but Crawley digs in and deals with the short ball excellently, knocking the ball way out with a creamed pull shot through square leg for a boundary. 

He picks up a couple more with a clipped shot which scurries out to the boundary through midwicket, but Head again to quick in the field and stops the ball before it can do any more damage. 

12:50

Crawley profits from a messy swipe at Murphy's tricksy delivery to send the ball sprinting out for four through cover, and snags a single before Murphy sets his sights on trying to trap Stokes. 

The captain pulls off some confident blocking to keep himself safe, but can't get off the mark in the over. 

12:46

In comes the swing, and England will be watchful of it, but they capitalise on Starc's first ball, with Crawley getting his half-century with a nicely-swept ball through mid-off that Cummins fumbles to stop. 50 in 61 balls faced is not to be sniffed at!

A sneaky boundary for Stokes, who almost ushers the ball through leg side to completely wrongfoot the fielders! Murphy at deep square leg to floored going for the stop, but he can't half the inevitable. 

12:42

Murphy has the ball again, and is quickly forcing Stokes into defensive play. Crawley steps onto the front foot with the penultimate delivery, with a sumptuous canter down the wicket to fizz the ball through the covers. 

He finishes with a neat single, as England edge closer to their opening century. 

12:38

Stokes and Crawley exchange singles, picking off Starc's deliveries thoughtfully to add to their gradual tally. 

Nice and consistent, after Australia's first maiden and that wicket. Back to regular programming. 

12:33

Here comes Ben Stokes, to the surprise of some, a great roar filling the Oval for England's captain. 

He gets off the mark with a single, before handing over to Crawley who sweeps his third delivery from new bowler Murphy way out to the boundary for four. 

12:28

On comes Mitchell Starc again, for another crack at things after an unappealing start. Murphy too is keen to get the nod from his captain, limbering up in the field demonstrably. 

Starc goes some way to redeeming himself with a run of dot balls that have England holding their cards close to their chest. He sends in a blistering full length delivery that sends up a yell from the Australian contingent. 

They think he's caught behind... and a review is ordered. England wait on tenterhooks, and there it is - ultra edge catches Duckett's nick! 

Now this will disrupt the rhythm! 

FOW: 79/1

12:21

Crawley smacks a whippy ball through backwards point in the hunt for another boundary, but sweeper Travis Head slides to stop the strike from kissing the Toblerone. 

Duckett picks up a single to add to his team-mate's couple, things still looking bright and sparky for England. 

12:16

Cummins calls up a couple of slips as Crawley opens proceedings with a single smacked at square leg. 

Duckett has a close shave as he sprints back to his ground and skittles onto the turf to save his bacon for a single. But back in play now, Crawley can restart England's powerful engine with a good-looking boundary swept out to gully for four. 

A couple more round up a promising over for England after a little bit of a dip - but things are still looking extremely efficient.  

12:11

Marsh comes fizzing in from round the wicket and forces Duckett into some neat defending at the start of what turns out to be a quite abstemious over. 

Duckett and Crawley can both snatch a single, with Crawley sneaking Marsh's final delivery calmly through midwicket. 

12:05

Australia have taken some of the zip and zing out of England's earlier, marauding, play, but England can certainly be patient here. 

Duckett and Crawley claim a solitary single apiece before drinks. Momentum remains with Ben Stokes' men after the first hour. Time for a rethink from Australia. 

11:59

Crawley nicks a defensive single off Marsh's outswinger which he ushers through point. The sweepers are on their toes, and deal with the strike quickly. 

But Marsh gifts England two no-balls with his next delivery, and Duckett adds to the haul with a couple swept through cover. 

By no means the worst over for the home side.

11:54

11:49

In comes Mitch Marsh for his first go-round with the cherry, firing deliveries at Crawley which he battles to defend. Stepping forward, Crawley knocks the ball back to the bowler stoicly, biding his time before he can get off the mark. 

On the fifth delivery, Crawley can get purchase on Marsh's shorter length ball and sweep the ball out for three. 

One of the less costly overs for the visitors, but England still look steady. 

11:45

In less than 10 overs, England have their first half-century partnership, as Duckett clouts a short ball delivery from Cummins out to the boundary off his top edge for four. 

Blue skies over the Oval! More of this, please. 

11:39

Hazelwood tries to keep England on a tight leash, sending in a shorter length delivery that has Duckett concertina-ed as he tries to block it through the off side. 

Crawley and Duckett rack up singles as they edge closer to their 50-partnership, under the watchful eye of an extremely relaxed-looking Brendon McCullum.  

11:35

A smartly-taken couple for Crawley opens Cummins' next over, as the Australian fielders spring into action to ensure England can't make more of the clip through fine leg. 

He snags a couple more, feasting on the captain's full delivery, and Labuschagne hurtles to make the hasty stop. England ticking over nicely. 

11:31

A fallow spell for England, with only one taken from Hazelwood's deliveries, as Duckett and Crawley enjoy a defensive moment. 

Can Australia make this stick, however? Crawley and Duckett look thoroughly in control. 

11:26

If Cummins can stem the bloodflow, it won't be immediately. Duckett outfoxes two Australian fielders to send the captain's delivery sparking to the boundary for four through square leg. 

Duckett can grab his sixth boundary in a mere 17 balls with an open-faced shot which sneaks out for four through the gully. 

Quite the tempo change from Australia's slow-and-steady march this time yesterday. 

11:22

It's a batter's day and England's openers are making the most of the conditions, with Duckett picking up his fourth boundary from Hazelwood with a cleanly-struck half volley that none of the fielders can sprint to. He picks up a quick single before handing over to Crawley. 

England's (joint) tallest can't get underway in the over, but Australia can't take much comfort from it. But here comes Cummins - can he shift the early momentum? 

11:18

Starc's out of luck for now, as Duckett takes his swingless delivery for another four that speeds through square leg. 

There's a deep breath taken with the second ball, after Starc sends in a springing yorker that smacks into Duckett's pad. A yell goes up from the Aussie contingent but the umpire doesn't flinch, and Cummins in time lets the review pass. 

Crawley claims another boundary with a strike which flies out past deep third man. Starc's unhappy tally is climbing. 

11:11

Hazelwood comes in to steady the ship, and after a re-do with the first delivery after a no-ball is called, Duckett can claim very little as the visitors look to tighten up and threaten early. 

Duckett pics up a quick single in defense, but that's all England can glean from the over. 

11:07

If it ain't broke! Crawley opens proceedings as he did the whole shooting match, way back in June, with a sumptous four smacked through cover. 

He picks up a quick single to set up Duckett, but he can't claim anything until he chips a punched shot down the ground and Cummins can't get a hand to the skipping ball as it rolls out for four. 

Then another one! A pricey over winds up with a rolling strike through midwicket. Starc hasn't quite set intentions with the ball with this opener. 

11:03

An emotional performance of Jerusalem, in support of the Alzheimer's Society, sung by the Singing for the Brain choir. 

In the line-up, the players are wearing one another's team shirts, to draw attention to the confusion felt by those struggling with dementia. 

10:49

It looks difficult to have a bad time in the Bazball bucket hat, and England look in high spirits ahead of the anthems this morning. 

Also spotted: Moeen Ali in the nets, after sitting out yesterday's fielding following a groin issue on day one. Getting ready to step back into that raised eyebrow No 3 spot?  

10:26

A no-frills shoot-out: England have to build up a strong lead, and Australia will chase it. Sounds simple, right? 

Whether it ends up being so remains to be seen. From Broad tinkering with the bails, to that achingly controversial run out-non-run out, this series hasn't been short on talking points, and yesterday was no different. What's in store for us today? 

10:12

I watch a lot of football and I get absolutely flabbergasted at times by the VAR decisions that are made. Sometimes it feels like the video referees are desperately trying to make sure throw they don’t throw their mates under the bus when they make their decisions.

However, I had a huge amount of sympathy with the third umpire Nitin Menon when he was asked to adjudicate on whether Steve Smith had been run out for 43 shortly after tea...

READ MORE BELOW. 

10:10

Looking out of my London window, not a million miles from the Oval, I can tell you that although the sun is shining valiantly, you can't see much of it for cloud. 

Things should get started on time, however, but the situation could get a little hairy around lunchtime. Hopefully there isn't too much time lost... 

10:03

... courtesy of Paul Newman's report from the Oval? 

Have a gander via the link below, to ensure all necessary preparations are taken ahead of the start of play at - one hopes - 11. 

10:01

Hello and welcome to Mail Sport's live coverage of day three of the fifth Test of this Ashes series, where things are poised on a knife's edge at the KIA Oval. 

After a cautious start to their batting that made England's after-lunch wicket haul look all the more threatening, the visitors settled and saw out an innings that puts them ahead of England by a mere 12 runs. With a draw and - some might claim - a moral victory at stake for Ben Stokes' side, if not the urn, expect England to come out all guns blazing as they resume proceedings at 11.