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Thirty-ninth by: Australia 147-4 (March 15, Hussey 24) Luke Wright returns to the attack. Strauss has confidence in him but I think Yardy would have been better at this spell. A pair of deuces as my cribbage playing granny used to call them followed by a single from Mr Cricket. Marsh looks as is he's getting ready to have a crack and Hussey has a word. Patience is Hussey's watchword.

38th over: Australia 142-4 (Marsh 15, Hussey 19) Gary Naylor is on his holidays: "In Toronto en route to London from Vegas, wondering why Canada doesn't play
decent standard cricket. It should really." It should Gary, and it was in the 1850s, I think. What happened? Six more off this over but the overall rate is still below four. Sensible batting but they're going to have to get shifting soon

37th over: Australia 136-4 (Marsh 13, Hussey 15)

For the thirty-sixth: Australia 129-4 (March 10, Hussey 12) On comes the fourth umpire to give Aleem Dar a drink and there's a short delay. Swann eventually continues, has a shout against Hussey for lbw but the Hawk shows it was far too high on this bouncy pitch. Australia play milky milky clever accumulation, risk free single gathering at the moment. Firework-free it may be, but it's bright thinking.

35th over: Australia 125-4 (Marsh 6, Hussey 11) Back comes Bresnan, who does look run in like Botham circa 1989. he can cut the ball off the seam with some skill, the Bres, and gets the ball to leave Hussey who also underestimates his pace with a hook that flies infront of square. Bresnan fights back well with a sharp one short of a length to rattle the ribs.

Thirty-fourth: Australia 121-4 (March 6, Hussey 9) Marsh clips a single off Swann as does Hussey and then again. This is the way ahead, it seems, the mid-innings torpor as both are wary of Swann but keen to get their heads down and resist the urge to panic. Update from the Hammersmith Odeon or whatever it's called these days from Tim Wollias: "It's all over here, all four back in the hutch by 12.40…" I'll leave that ellipsis there, Tim. I can't put the ball over the line.

Thirty-third over: Australia 118-4 (March 5, Hassi-7) Collingwood on, coming round the wicket to Marsh who clips him for a single to mid-off. Stays round the wicket to Hussey, too, who looks like he's going to get his head down and try to orchestrate the fight back in typical Hussey slow-starting style. Single here, single there. Tip and run, textbook rebuilding stuff.

32nd over: Australia 114-4 (Marsh 3, Hussey 5) Yardy goes for five off that over. Paine must be kicking himself if his team-mates haven't got there first. He'd clawed his way to fifty, belatedly realised that slogging wasn't his forte and looked set to anchor the innings. Instead he lost his marbles with a daft and poorly executed shot. Swann is causing all sort of problems for the Australians.

30th and 31st overs: Australia 107-4 (Marsh 0, Hussey 1) That over and wicket was exclusively brought to you by Scott Murray, genius of this parish, to allow me to take a comfort break in the bathroom as our American cousins say. Scott has gone off to prepare his mind for the Diego-Jogi show ahead so I can't elucidate further.

WICKET! Paine b Swann 54 The batsman tries an absurd reverse sweep. Swann's ball pitches back and crashes into the stumps. Swann is all over this at the moment. The Australians look thoroughly depressed.

Twenty-ninth for: Australia 106-3 (0 Marsh, Payne 54) Yes, Jen Oram. Sorry about the Wright / white rooster activities. Here 's Swann' s spin twins Yardy and Payne has one, but turns down one to go Marsh noted that comfortable there. He Marsh protection Swann? Strange.

Twenty-eighth-Prod.: Australia 104-3 (0 Marsh, Payne 52) Paine has a swish and Kieswetter whips the bails off but the batsman's back leg hadn't moved and then Paine puts Marsh on strike with a diddly reverse sweep. Swann turns the last one majestically and Marsh goes fishing.

Wicket! White with Yardy b Swann 20 Nice teasing delivery from Swann, he saw White twitching with adrenaline and poised to charge so he tossed it up a bit higher and White took the bait, spooning it up to mid-off about 15 yards in from the fence and Yardy took the easyish catch.

28th over: Australia 104-2 (White 20, Paine 52)And it Graeme Swann, who gets the call to replace Wright. And it takes WICKET in his first over.

For the twenty-seventh: Australia 104-2 (White 20, Payne 52) Paine brings up his fifty with a fine, deft cut. He's better at the wristy stuff and perhaps is beginning to bloom. White, though, goes all agricultural and misses with a cow corner hoick off Yardy that would have cleared the Tavern if he'd got hold of it. They're starting to up the pace off the unthreatening Wright and Yardy, here. Get a proper bowler on for an over or two.

26th over: Australia 97-2 (White 19, Paine 46) Another top-edged pull, this time White which bounces twice before hitting the rope very fine. Geoff Roberts pulls this headline out: "Teenage priest in sex-change mercy dash to Palace. Beats yours by a country mile, I'd say." You need the material, Geoff. Can the OBOers help Phil Powell? "It is my great honour to be captain of a select drinking society that masquerades as a cricket team. We have two fixtures this summer and in a break with tradition have decided to have a few nets first. I thought I'd try to harness the power of the mighty OBO to help with finding some decent nets that are both free, and fairly central in Big London. Any suggestions?" I think there's a couple on Kew Green, Phil, we used to use but haven't been down there for ages.

25th over: Australia 89-2 (White 14, Paine 43) Approaching halfway and Yardy has a big appeal for lbw first ball up as White shapes to sweep. Not out, too high. Then Paine reverse sweeps him for four - he's adapted at last to the knowledge that swiping at balls is not going to work for him today.

For the twenty-fourth: Australia 83-2 (White 13, Pine-38) England have tied Australia is good, and probably not too miffed to keep Pine at the gate, as he 's helping them to slow things up. White takes one around the corner from Wright. Pine slogs short ball 3, a kind of break with two hands, as only the elegance, the plate of tripe. There are from the shackles?

23rd over: Australia 78-2 (White 11, Paine 35) Here comes Michael Yardy. A few years ago I once wrote a headline when Rana ul Naved and Yardy put on a big partnership for Sussex. "Nippy Naved fires once tardy Yardy." I was inordinately proud of it until someone told me it was garbage. I've never recovered. I used to hate left-arm spear it in merchants like Yardy but he actually has a bit more dash than I remember. His wide angle from round the wicket is very confusing.

22nd over: Australia 77-2 (White 10, Paine 35) "I just want everyone to know that I bumped into Glenn McGrath in central Sydney the other night," writes Douglas Wilson. "I said 'Hi' and he said 'G'day', but only one of us looked like a little boy meeting Santa for the first time. As I watched him go, my wife, by nature a restrained and dignified woman, turned to me and sang - 'Ooh, Ah, Glenn McGrath - I say Ooh-Ah Glenn McGrath.' I can now die happy." Happy to oblige Douglas. Further musings sent to the Old Dart from down there. This is Kate: "Kate here in Sydney. Cricket is going to be live on TV in 30 mins then Wimbledon at 11pm AND the Argentina v Germany on another channel. A bonanza of sport coming up. Do any of your female followers agree that Rafael Nadal has the best backside in sport? He certainly won game set and match in the eye candy competition yesterday. Now where is that lovely Stuart Broad?" Objectification of the male form? Is that Guardian or not Guardian? I'll wait for the reprimand. Two off the over. They've managed to put Paine in crisis mode. He looks lost out there at the moment, no confidence, no timing, no answer.

21st over: Australia 75-2 (White 9, Paine 34) A ceratin German sportswear manufacturer is sponsoring both sides, since when did they move into the cricket market in such a big way? Here's an interesting discourse on what three-stripe obsession can do courtesy of Sabotage Times. Broad pegs back Pine for the first balls Auto Show, and then makes him look ignorant and not a little concerned with the fifth hit the ball. It was short, and arrowing Pine stared at her completely and, fortunately fitted one with her. Very good at. Better Balls Don 't take wickets, however.

Twentieth over: Australia 74-2 (white 9 Payne 33) Wright shakes his head after the blow, chats with Collingwood and trundles in to bowl. Gives up a legside single third ball but his line, otherwise, has been tighter, squaring White up and hitting the shoulder of his bat but White manages to shovel it past point.

19th over: Australia 71-2 (White 8, Paine 30) Greg Blewett has a theory on Sky, that the rest of the world are having to play catch-up with England, who have mastered the are of devising and executing bowling plans for each batsman. Who'd have thought it? Rare Collingwood misfield gives Australia a single and Broad responds by hiting 90mph for a ball carved to third man. Paine finally connects with his hook, getting on top of it and biffing it squareish for four. Pietersen hits Luke Wright with his return off the last ball and he wears the ball on the back of his head.

Eighteenth by: Australia 63-2 (White, 6 Payne 25) Cameron White comes up the order to No4 in Michael Clarke's absence and he's got Luke Wright first up. Here's Tim Woolias enjoying Australian dominance: "Hi Rob, I'm following the OBO from The Wiggles live in Hammersmith, and I have to say the Aussie top four are bossing it here." Captain Feathersword, wh, Tim? How apt! (Apologies for the exclamation mark). White deals with Wright pretty comfortably and the Australians take eight in unspectacular fashion.

WICKET! Ponting c Kieswetter b Broad 15Broad strikes again. His bouncer looks quite appetizing Ponting to climb, but these additional cranes walk AUS captain's time, and he gloves it to the keeper.

17th over: Australia 55-1 (Ponting 15, Paine 23) Broad again finds some good pace as Paine's throwback innings continues, trying to tempt him to hook, which he does but keeps safe, perhaps because of his poor timing this knock.

16th over: Australia 54-1 (Ponting 15, Paine 22) Good stat from Sky - this is Strauss's 13th ODI as captain against Australia, beating Mike Brearley's 12. I would have thought Graham Gooch would have had many more but what do I know? Anderson concedes a couple of singles. Then Ponting charges down the wicket last ball and smashes a four through mid-off.

Fifteenth over: Australia 48-1 (Ponting 10, Payne 21) Broad really bends his back and invites Paine to sniff the leather second ball, up to 89mph for four balls in a row. Paine ducks under the second bumper. "Effort" balls, Bumble calls them. Good over, Paine's hands will hurt after he got a couple of stingers up the splice (sounds a bit Finbarr Saunders).

14th over: Australia 47-1 (Ponting 9, Paine 21) Anderson replaces Bresnan and starts with a loosener that Paine decides, late and probably wrongly, not to cut. Paine then turns one round the corner for a single. He's a bit of a throwback as an opener, a nurdly manipulator without, on this evidence, the hitting to milk the powerplay. Ponting takes single with a risky shot off his legs, almost ending up with both pads facing down the pitch French cricket style. Weird.

13th over: Australia 45-1 (Ponting 8, Paine 20) Broad starts with a more middle stump line to Ponting, probably looking for the LBW when he falls over his front leg early in his innings. This is good from Broad, not straying on to leg stick at all this over, as if he's keen to keep his pitch map neat.

12th over: Australia 44-1 (Ponting 8, Paine 19) Bresnan's continuing and he gets Paine to drive uppsihly through midwicket for three. Sir Ian Botham's saying that Bresna is looking for outswing but not getting it, the seam position demands the ball moves in the air but that elusive art flummoxes Bresnan's expectations. Lovely shot from Ponting. During the 2005 Ashes I had an argument with a friend who insisted that Ponting wasn't a wonderful stylist as I maintained. Well, Dave. Watch that shot. You know nowt.

11th over: Australia 37-1 (Ponting 4, Paine 16) Ben Reynolds writes in: "I remain convinced that Broad gets more wickets than he might otherwise because opposition players really don't like him, and attempt shots they otherwise wouldn't. Meanwhile, Botham is at it again with his 'knack' nonsense." I think you're right Ben. And Botham was exactly the same, brilliantly conning scores of wickets by tempting batsmen to be more aggressive than they would against anyone else. Paine almost invokes the wrath of Ponting by calloing for a second on Kevin Pietersen's arm. Ponting sends him back and gives him a Paddington Bear stare. Broad bowls a beachball bounce wide then reverts to his outside off-stump (v Tendulkar) line and Ponting does his beg step and leave. Beautiful shot from Ponting off the last , goes on to the back foot and smashes it, with a straight bat, through point for four. Too wide and fuller than his previous balls,

10th over: Australia 31-1 (Ponting 0, Paine 15) Bresnan's first ball drifts on to leg and Paine whips him away for three bringing Ponting to face. Extravagant, typically Ponting, leaves then he has a swish at a wide one squirting down the leg side that Kieswetter does well to stop. It's definitely moving off the pitch for Bresnan and he keeps Ponting doubtful whether to push at a couple. He opts for discretion.

9th over cont'd: Australia 27-1 (Ponting 0, Paine 12) Enter Ricky Ponting and Broad bowls a nice, dangerous wobbly one first-up that the Australian captain taps down the pitch.

WICKET!!: Watson c Anderson b Broad 14 He's made runs with the pull shot this morning but golden arm Broad, the king of getting batsmen out with bad balls, tempted him again and Watson carved it to wide mid-on.

9th over: Australia 27-0 (Watson 14, Paine 12) Delay while Paine changes his bat after that weird sound it made when he unleashed his extra cover drive. Stuart Broad takes over from Anderson and Watson pulls his second, short delivery to the midwicket boundary. Lovely bat speed but it was a shocking delivery.

For the eighth: Australia 23-0 (Watson 10, Payne 12) Paine climbs into a cover drive that goes for four without really coming off the meat of the bat. It made a ping like Dennis Lillee's aluminium bat. Then Bresnan goes wider on the crease and makes Paine play and miss. Here's John Starbuck: "For all the Ashes-related hysteria, people seem to have forgotten that England will be facing Pakistan next, so do we need different players for them? They blow hot and cold but we know if they're on their game they'll beat anyone. I expect we'll be fielding a four-man pace attack plus Swann, so some batsmen are really going to have to earn their keep." Does that mean Prior will bat at No6 in your view, John. That always gives me the fear. I think they'll stick to six batsmen, Prior, Swann, Broad, Anderson and Finn.

Seventh on: Australia 19-0 (Watson 10, Payne 8) Australia are labouring in these first few overs, Paine especially. Anderson's length is spot on, all on a good length and some slightly short but with movement away from the batsman. Paine top edges a hook, safe, to fine leg and gets a single. Michael Yardy was down there but it fell way short.

6th over: Australia 16-0 (Watson 9, Pine-6)

5th over: Australia 15-0 (Watson 9, Paine 5) Sky have gone back to Snicko to look at Watson's "edge" and there's definitely a spike. Matt Healey has a view of Jason Roy: "I was fortunate enough to watch Jason Roy out-bat everyone else on the park yesterday evening at the Oval. The pitch must have been taking quite a bit of spin and everyone - bar Roy - found it difficult to score quickly. Surrey had 91-1 from their first 10 overs (I think) and still only managed 171. Murali Kartik caused all the batsmen trouble - Younus Khan in particular - but Roy managed a couple of perfectly executed straight sixes off him. Surrey opened the bowling with spin and Somerset - a couple of bashes from Pollard notwithstanding - were never in it. Looking forward to seeing more of Roy in the future." Sounds very good, though I note, to get the Bufton Tuftons spluttering, that he was born in South Africa. Anderson was milked for three off his first full-length delivery of the morning but pegs back Watson in his crease for the remaining balls.

4th over: Australia 12-0 (Watson 9, Paine 2) That should have read telltale shining mark on the bat. There is a mark on the ball but that may have come from the pitch. Bresnan's found his mojo straight away, perfect line, slightly short. Paine tries to give him the charge but swings and misses. He doesn't look capable of taking on the new ball in England. After praising Bresnan he then serves up a pie of a wide and Paine farms the strike off the last ball with a push to short midwicket.

3rd over: Australia 10-0 (Watson 9, Paine 1) Paine gets off the mark with a squirt off the inside wdge behind square leg and then Watson pulls him off the front foot with a baseball hoick over midwicket for four. That was what Geoff Boycott calls a powder puff delivery. He repeats the shot next ball for another four, just rocking slightly back on his heels rather than taking a pace back classical fashion. Anderson fights back well with a quicker one that Watson looks to cut/avoid. There was certainly a sound to spark England's appeal but hotspot looks inconclusive â€" no telltale shining mark on the ball.

2nd over: Australia 1-0 (Watson 1, Paine 0) And it;s Barney Ronay's favourite player, Tim Bresnan, from the Nursery End. His first four balls jag about outside off stump and Watson plays inside the line to them, not so much plya and misses but theatrical leaves. He certainly has a nibble at the last one, though, and Bresnan starts with a maiden.

1st over: Australia 1-0 (1 Watson Pine 0) Jimmy Anderson opens the bowling from the Pavilion End and Shane Watson gets off the mark with a single clipped to third man. First three deliveries are all short of a length and there looks to be a hint of swing for Anderson. The last ball snakes away from Paine, too. Promising stuff from Anderson.

England go into the conspiracy : And Tim Paine is opening for Australia and not Shaun Marsh despite the speculation. Has anyone seen young Jason Roy's T20 innings for Surrey. Yesterday the 19-year-old followed up his ton against Kent with 74 in the match against Somerset. Awesome figures but any first-hand accounts would be appreciated.

The teams:
England: 1 Andrew Strauss (captain), 2 Craig Kieswetter (week), 3 Kevin Pietersen; 4 Paul Collingwood, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Michael Yardy; 7 Luke Wright, 8 Tim Bresnan; 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson .

Australia: 1 Shane Watson; 2 Tim Paine (wk); 3 Ricky Ponting (capt); 4 Shaun Marsh; 5 Cameron White; 6 Michael Hussey; 7 James Hopes; 8 Steven Smith; 9 Shaun Tait; 10 Ryan Harris; 11 Doug Bollinger.

It looks doubtful that Tim Paine will open but we'll have to wait and see.

Good morning