Live Blogs / Ed Hawkins / 16 December 2010 /

After a successful first day's Perth punting Ed Hawkins was on hand on day two to advise you on the comings and goings from the Waca. Follow him on Twitter here

CLOSE 10.00 Aus 119-2, lead by 200
The Ashes has started. Australia, who are [1.31], really should level the series from this position and it all thanks to the mercurial Mitchell Johnson. It will be tough indeed for England to get anything more than 350 batting last on a wicket, which although it looks good and flat, can't be that easy to bat on. Look at the number of wickets that have fallen. True, it could be getting easier but there is no question [5.00] shots England are up against it. I'll be back from lunch time on day three.

09.46 Aus 105-3
Australia lead by 182. Another 100 for the home side and they should be confident of levelling matters. England need a wicket desperately as the admirably solid (I mean that in a batting sense rather than his build) Shane Watson goes to 50.

09.40 Aus 94-3
Only 20 minutes off play left. Australia will just sit in. England will want another tonight. They at least have the bonus that they have two goes, if you like, at Hussey. Today, obviously, and when he has to start afresh tomorrow. Essentially he has to get in twice to hurt England.

09.21 Aus 77-3
We are averaging a wicket every seven overs in this Test which means we are on course for a first session finish on day four. Unfortunately the Test Match End market is alive to that probability. It is [1.80]. There are 15 overs left today and Australia lead by 158.

09.16 Aus 69-3
Ponting now caught behind the wicket in his past five Test innings. Two were strangles down the legside.

09.04 Aus 64-3
Well, Clarke has made another mistake. David Lloyd called on commentary. "You can't play cross-bat shots here". Clarke has chopped on as he tried to chop Tremlett with an angled blade. It is odd how a man of Clarke's experience can make such a misjudgement. He has played on this ground many times before so he should surely know he has to be straight. Mike Hussey is in. I am very much a fan of the law of averages. Surely this guy is due a failure? England are [3.40]. Australia [1.46]

WICKET 09.01 Aus 64-3
M Clarke b Tremlett 20

09.00 Aus 63-2
England have been poor since Ponting's dismissal. But Michael Clarke has batted well, trying to put his first-innings nightmare behind him. He has 20 off 17 balls.

08.40 Aus 34-2
England into [3.80] from sevens and eights earlier in this dig. Australia are [1.44]. Michael Clarke comes in. He played an awful shot in the first innings. He is [2.20] for a 50.

WICKET 08.38 Aus 34-2
R Ponting c Prior b Finn 1

08.34 Aus 34-1
Ponting is [2.10] for a 50 and [3.40] for Australia top bat. Both prices are plenty short enough given his form - 82 runs in five innings. He has been priced on reputation. England putting a decent squeeze on Australia, two runs off the bat in the last three overs

08.25 Aus 32-1, lead by 113
Hope you managed to get a lay of Hughes for a 50. Predictable dismissal. No foot movement whatsoever. Difficult to see him troubling in this series, if he lasts until Sydney that is. This may be another selection switch the Australians will have to face.

WICKET 08.19 Aus 31-1
P Hughes c Cook b Finn 12

08.15 Aus 31-0
This is an important opening stand from Australia. It's positive properties are two-fold. Firstly, and most obviously, it solidifies their position as controllers of the Test. But secondly, it dramatically reduces the pressure on Ricky Ponting. Probably by exactly half. Ponting is under pressure anyway because of Australia's form but that only increases when he has to come to the wicket in the first few overs. When he does eventually make it to the middle, he has the best chance of playing freely and in the manner most of us a familiar.

08.02 Aus 30-0
Hughes' first four innings in Test cricket were 0, 75, 115 and 160. He then went eight innings without a 50. In between he was dropped after two Tests against England, scoring 57 runs in what was perhaps the first sign of panic from Australia selectors in the post-greats era. He looks a very different player to even the one who failed against England in 2009. Back then, at least he had the ability to cut and pull. He was dangerous on anything with width. But he appears totally strokeless at this stage of his career.

07.45 Aus 8-0
England convinced Watson has edged Anderson behind to Prior but when the umpire refuses to yield, they do not refer. It was the right decision although it remains very odd to see a team incredulous that they do not get a decision and then meekly refrain from going upstairs. The level of appealing will surely come down in time with the UDRS.

07.32 Aus 4-0
Fastest finger first. There is some money available to lay Hughes for a 50 at [3.50]. He averages 20 in domestic cricket this term so doesn't even have form to fall back on.

07.24 Aus 0-0
Australia are [1.40] and England [4.50]. We should expect Phil Hughes to fall cheaply again here because of his suspect technique. They will look to push him back with short stuff then get him with the fuller delivery.

TEA 07.08 Eng 187
England have been blown away by a six-wicket Mitchell Johnson. Australia are on the brink of levelling the series which seems extraordinary given they have managed back-to-back sessions wins for the first time since Brisbane. They are [1.40] for victory and, despite South Africa's monumental effort to chase 414 at Perth two years ago, they will be confident of a third-innings score of 300 being enough. The series needed this.

07.02 WICKET Eng 187
J Anderson c Watson b Johnson 0

WICKET 07.01 Eng 186-9
C Tremlett b Johnson 2

07.00 Eng 186-8
That wicket is a bitter blow for England dashes realistic hopes of England getting close to Australia. Bell, for all the aesthetics of his innings, didn't go on when England desperately needed it. James Anderson and Chris Tremlett are paired together. Australia as short as [1.55].

WICKET 06.54
I Bell c Ponting b Harris 53

06.54 Eng 186-7
A bit of a pointless discussion about Ian Bell on Sky at the mo. Nasser Hussain and Mike Atherton reckon he should bat at No 3. there really is nothing to gain and everything to lose. For a start, the last thing England need to do is start tinkering with their line-up. It would suggest insecurity where there is none. Secondly, Bell is doing very well where he is. Moving him up to first down - where he averages just 31 in 33 innings - and risking failures could weaken England.

06.42 Eng 181-7
Australia [1.64], England [3.15] and the draw [12.00]. Time for Bell, who has passed 50, to cut loose. England muist get the lead to under 50. The average third-innings score at Perth in the last four Tests is 322 so the tourists face a stiff task. And the pitch still looks good. That will be a help though in a fourth-innings chase. Remember South Africa made 414-4 to win there in 2008. It was the second highest fourth-innings total to win.

WICKET 06.37 Eng 181-7
G Swann c Haddin b Harris 11

06.27 Eng 170-6
England just sitting in at the mo. Bell looks rather solid and Swann is showing good discipline. We obviously still have a trade running on England at [2.76]. We'll leave it up because we're sure they will trade shorter as the match progresses.

06.05 Eng 159-6
Has anyone noticed how this Test is shaping up in a very similar first-innings fashion to four years ago? Have a look at the scorecard here

05.56 Eng 150-6
Bell and Graeme Swann have only once batted together before for the seventh wicket. They made 65. Unfortunately it was against the less-than-mighty Bangladesh earlier this year.

05.50 Eng 145-6
Grow a pair Prior. The England keeper has been roughed up by the medium-fast Peter Siddle. It was a short-pitched barrage and Prior just didn't stand up to it. Graeme Swann is expected to get the same treatment. Australia [1.77], England [3.00] and the draw [9.00]. England in real trouble.

WICKET 05.47 Eng 145-6
M Prior b Siddle 12

05.41 Eng 141-5
Big fluctuations on the draw. From [10.00] at lunch into as skinny as [6.00] and now [7.40]. Still no Johnson. Bonkers.

05.34 Eng 140-5
There's a decent bit of cash around for Matt Prior to score a 50 at [2.60]. Get some. He should be shorter than that with 10 already on the board. I wonder if a punter has left that up by some mistake.

05.27 Eng 128-5
190, 153, 112, 98, 74, 52, 41, 38, 18, 13, 3 and 0. Those are the sixth wicket partnerships Ian Bell and Matt Prior have manufactured together. The good news for our trade is that the average is a very healthy 66.

05.17 Eng 126-5
I know Johnson bowled a long spell before lunch but, for goodness sake, Ponting, he needs to be back straight away. A break of 40 minutes is more than enough rest. A bonus for our trade.

05.13 Eng 123-5
That was probably the first session Australia have won since Siddle's hat-trick at the Gabba. Australia will try to make it two in a row by getting Prior bowled through the gate with one that nips back. He has a big weakness there and needs to be alert. Johnson is getting shape back in, too.

05.06 Eng 119-5
Johnson's four wickets for seven runs has shaken things up no doubt. But just as on day one when we did not blame the pitch and expected a partnership, we should do the same. England are in a hole but Ian Bell and Matt Prior should be capable of digging them out. The first 20 minutes will be crucial but one senses that Australia know Johnson is their only hope. For example when Peter Siddle was brought on to keep the pressure on, he relased it by bowling both sides of the wicket. England';s price will shorten with a partnership and they look to be worth trading at [2.76].

04.55 Eng 119-5, trail by 149 runs
Wakey, wakey. We have a series on our hand. Why the rest have been snoozing - and that might include England - Australia have suddenly woken up with a start. Bolt upright they are. Mitchell Johnson, rightly lampooned, has found some rhythm and it has taken only one good session to get them back into the series. At [1.81] they are favourites to level affairs following Johnson's three-wicket burst. After an opening stand of 78, Johnson has taken four wickets, including Kevin Pietersen for a duck. England are out to [2.78] - the draw is [10.00] - and they face a mighty battle for first-innings parity. Only Ian Bell and Matt Prior separate Australia from the bowlers.

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