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

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.