LIVE | England playing "Russian Roulette" with short run chase

• LISTEN LIVE: Every ball of the Ashes
• 30 wickets fall in less than one and a half days as Stuart Broad slams MCG pitch
• England set 175 to win as two-day finish looms
• 94,199 in attendance on Day 1. The biggest crowd ever for cricket at the venue

3:35pm - First ball after Tea. Ramped.

ENgland 2/83 - Crawley 22, Bethell 15

One ball after Tea, and England are already ramping.

Jacob Bethell sends Scott Boland over the keeper's head for two.

This isn't lasting long... surely England can win their first Test in Australia in almost 15 years here.

3:13pm - England get to Tea two down

England 2/77 - Crawley 22, Bethell 9

It's Tea, and the game looks like it'll be over next session.

England need 98 to win, and Australia need eight wickets.

In any other circumstance, this would be an easy win for the visitors... but this is still anyone's game.

Tune into what's set to be the last session of the fourth Test from 3:33pm (AEDT).

3:00pm - Carse doesn't last!

England 2/65 - Crawley 22, Bethell to the crease

Carse tries to slog Jhye Richardson and skies one down to third man, where Cameron Green did the rest.

The bowler goes for 6, and out walks Jacob Bethell, who batted at No. 3 in the first innings.

Chris Rogers didn't like the tactic from England as they continued to take it on despite the field being set for it.

“I don’t care what you say. That’s rubbish. You’ve got the field out, that many fielders on the boundary, you can just nudge that.” – Chris Rogers.

“He’s tried to hit that for six… if you’re a betting man you’re putting your house on that happening.”

2:44pm - Duckett bowled!

England 1/51 - Crawley 15, Carse to the crease

England brought up a half century on 6.5 overs, but Australia have struck immediately!

Starc clean bowls Duckett with a yorker on 34.

The England opener can't blame the deck on that one either, with this one going right through him.

Shockingly, Brydon Carse has strode out ot the crease in a pinch-hitting role!

England aren't messing around here. This is wild.

"Imagine if I told you Scott Boland would open the batting and Brydon Carse would be at No. 3 yesterday morning." - Tom Morris.

2:32 - Crawley survives a review

England 0/27 - Crawley 15, Duckett 10

The England opener is struck on the pads by Mitchell Starc, but the umpire didn't lift his finger.

While Steve Smith was apprehensive, he sent it upstairs for review and while it was hitting the stumps and in line, two orange circles for umpires call means the decision isn't overturned.

A stroke of luck going England's way.

"This is Russian Roulette really. It's not Test match cricket." - Bharat Sundaresan.

2:21pm - England off to a flyer

England 0/13 - Duckett 8, Crawley 4

England aren't messing around with batin hand, scoring 13 runs from the first 15 balls of their innings.

It's a clear sign of intent from the visitors. This one will be over well before Stumps.

Either England get there in less than 30 overs, or they're skittled.

Buckle up, there will be plenty of action.

AUSTRALIA 132

ENGLAND REQUIRE 175 TO WIN

2:05pm - Australia’s second innings

Australia 132 (34.3 overs)
Scott Boland: c Smith b Atkinson - 6
Travis Head: b Carse - 46
Jake Weatherald: b Stokes - 5
Marnus Labuschagne: c Root b Tongue - 8
Steve Smith: not out - 24
Usman Khawaja: c Pope (sub) b Tongue - 0
Alex Carey: c Brook b Carse - 4
Cam Green: c Brook b Stokes - 19
Michael Neser: c & b Carse - 0
Mitch Starc: c Root b Carse - 0
Jhye Richardson: c Crawley b Stokes - 7

England bowlers
Gus Atkinson: 1/20 (5)
Brydon Carse: 4/34 (11)
Josh Tongue: 2/44 (11)
Ben Stokes: 3/24 (7.3)

1:59pm - Richardson out, Australia out

The Aussies are all out after Jhye Richardson skies and is caught at cover by Zak Crawley off Ben Stokes.

Australia gone for 132. Smith not out on 24.

England needs 175 for victory.

“They’re all out for 132, boy oh boy, this has been some kind of day already. They’ll set England 175 to win.” – Adam Collins.

“The Barmy Army feel like England have given themselves a good opportunity to win the Test match… but it feels like a lot of runs still to me.” – Stuart Broad.

“I still think Australia win this Test match with the way the ball was moving… the only way I see England winning is if someone throws their hands at it and scores a 40 or 50.” – Simon Katich.

1:56pm - Lots of wickets, feel numb

SEN Cricket’s Adam Collins feels numb witnessing a Test match where so many wickets have fallen.

“I feel a bit numb watching this. It is a weird feeling watching wickets fall with such regularity in a Test match,” said Collins.

“We’re not conditioned to it, but maybe we should be by now.

“Maybe this is no longer the outlier that we want to believe that it is where so many wickets fall in such a short space of time early in a Test match.”

There has been 29 wickets in 109 overs.

1:46pm - Nine down now

Mitch Starc edges to Joe Root at first slip off Brydon Carse who has four fa.

Starc gone for a duck.

This is bizarre.

Australia 9/121 with a 163-run lead. Jhye Richardson to the crease.

“He overstepped with his previous ball, but he’s made this one count!” – Adam Collins.

“That looks a really good ball, angling across Starc. That’s the length we’ve been talking about.” – Stuart Broad.

1:43pm - Another one gone

Michael Neser is out caught and bowled by Brydon Carse for a duck.

Wickets continue to tumble. Busy fingers in the media room.

Australia 8/120 now with a lead of 162.

“Squared up! What a catch, caught and bowled.” – Adam Collins.

“It was a leading edge! Carse gets a wicket in the first over of his spell for the second time today.”

“Any caught and bowled for a fast bowler is a goodie, that’s a great catch. He’s a very good athlete.” – Damien Fleming.

1:37pm - Green out in ugly fashion

Cam Green has given Harry Brook some catching practice at second slip.

He guides it directly into Brook's hands off the bowling of Ben Stokes.

Gone for 19, just as the partnership was revving up.

Australia 7/119. Michael Neser with Smudge at the crease.

“That’s a rubbish shot. That’s slip catching practice in the morning… it was a real prod from Cameron Green.” – Stuart Broad.

Australia leads by 161 runs.

1:20pm - Score update

Australia 6/114 (27 overs) - Steve Smith 17, Cam Green 16

Scott Boland: c Smith b Atkinson - 6
Travis Head: b Carse - 46
Jake Weatherald: b Stokes - 5
Marnus Labuschagne: c Root b Tongue - 8
Usman Khawaja: c Pope (sub) b Tongue - 0
Alex Carey: c Brook b Carse - 4

Australia leads by 156 runs.

12:30pm - Lunch update: This match is still bonkers

Lunch on Day 2 and we're looking at an early finish.

26 wickets in a day and a session. Madness. Bonkers.

Australia 6/98. Steve Smith on 16, Cam Green on 6.

Australia leads by 140 runs.

12:19pm - Carey nicks off

Australia has lost three wickets for six runs in three overs.

Alex Carey is out for 4, nicking to Harry Brook at second slip off Brydon Carse.

Australia 6/88, leading by 130 runs.

“England on fire, three wickets in three overs. Only 130 ahead. This is careering to a two-day Test match!” – Adam Collins.

“This is proper collapse stuff. They’ve lost 3/6! We’ve still got 10 minutes until Lunch.”

“This could be over at Tea time the way this is going!” – Bharat Sundaresan.

12:12pm - Khawaja gone

Usman Khawaja is out for a duck.

He pulled a short ball from Josh Tongue straight down the throat of sub fielder Ollie Pope at fine leg.

Australia 5/83, leading by 125 runs.

“This is going to be over today, the way it’s tracking. It hung in the air perfectly for him… Josh Tongue was right on the money.” – Simon Katich.

12:08pm - Head laughs at dismissal

Travis Head is out for 46.

He copped an absolute seed of a delivery from Brydon Carse.

It pitched on leg and hit the top of off stump. Head was visibly laughing as he walked off.

That pill did so much.

Australia 4/82. Usman Khawaja with Smudge in the middle.

“You don’t often see that, a smile on the batsman’s face after they’ve been bowled. What an absolute beauty.” – Simon Katich.

“He wasn’t just smiling, he was laughing, Travis Head… it’s taken a special delivery from Carse to get rid of him.” – Bharat Sundaresan.

11:49am - Marnus caught... eventually

Marnus Labuschagne is out for 8.

He edges to Joe Root at first slip off Josh Tongue.

DRS adjudged him out. Marnus thought it bounced.

“Labuschagne thumps his bat into his pads, he’s out here and he’s about to be very sulky,” Whateley said.

“It’s time to leave, Marnus Labuschagne. He’s gone for eight, and the dissent is really obvious here and you’d imagine he’ll pay financially for it.

“I’m not quite sure what he’s complaining about. That’s out.”

Australia 3/61. Steve Smith joins Travis Head.

11:35am - England update on Atkinson

The ECB has released a statement on Gus Atkinson.

"England seamer Gus Atkinson left the field after bowling his fifth over of the innings, having felt some soreness in his left hamstring. He will be assessed over the next few hours."

11:31am - Drinks update

Drinks are taken with Australia at 2/51.

Head on 28 and Labuschagne on 7. A partnership of 11.

Head was dropped by Will Jacks off the bowling of Josh Tongue last over.

11:14am - Stokes gets Weatherald

England captain Ben Stokes strikes immediately after replacing Gus Atkinson, dismissing Jake Weatherald for 5.

It jagged violently as Weatherald went to leave it and took his off stump.

“He’s a bowler that brings the stumps into play. That has jagged.” - Stuart Broad.

“That has done loads.” - Adam Collins.

Australia 2/40. Marnus joins Head in the middle.

11:11am - Atkinson injured?

English quick Gus Atkinson grabbed at his hamstring on the final ball of his last over.

He's off the field and will be assessed.

“He left the field after he bowled that 98kph slower ball so it’s certainly one to watch,” Tom Morris said.

“He grabbed at his left hamstring and we’ll keep an eye on it.”

11am - That's not Test cricket

Simon Katich does not believe Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test was true Test match cricket.

The former Aussie opener bemoaned the 20-wicket day of the fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England.

“I didn’t think it was Test cricket, what I watched yesterday. I feel like I’m watching a different game now,” Katich said on SEN Cricket.

“It’s hard to not have that perspective that this is what it was like in our day. It’s like watching a completely different game, and I didn’t particularly enjoy what I saw yesterday.”

10:52am - Boland goes early

The nightwatchman Scott Boland is gone for 6.

Gus Atkinson forces an outside edge which is snapped up by Jamie Smith behind the stumps.

Australia 1/22. Jake Weatherald joins Travis Head at the crease.

10:35am - Will the batters do the hard yards?

Can we blame the pitch for all 20 wickets on Day 1?

Doubtful.

There were some poor shots played on a pitch that offered plenty for the bowlers, but wasn't necessarily a minefield.

“Now that everyone has had a chance to sleep on it, have the batters given up on the pitch or are they prepared to do the hard yards?” - Gerard Whateley.

Let's hope, for cricket's sake, that some of those with willow in hand put more value on their wicket.

Think of the casual MCG staff if this ends early! The pubs in Richmond won't mind though...

10:23am - And we're almost off

After a mad Boxing Day, we're back at Melbourne's colosseum for Day 2.

Andrew Slevison with you for the first session (at least).

It's a picture out there. The sun is shining on the MCG and it's a nice 16 degrees.

Player's comfort would be ideal.

The prince of the MCG, Scott Boland (4), and wrecking ball Travis Head (0) start the day at the crease for the Aussies who lead by 46 runs.

9:45am - Short Tests are bad for business

Cricket Australia (CA) chief Todd Greenberg admits he didn’t sleep well last night on the back of a crazy day of cricket.

He acknowledges that it’s not a great look for Test cricket on the grandest of stages.

“I didn’t sleep well last night, put it that way,” Greenberg said on SEN Cricket.

“It was an amazing day of Test cricket, so for that record number of people who were here, boy, they’ve had an experience.

“But our challenge is to make sure we can continue those experiences day after day. That’s the challenge on all of us.”

Is 20 wickets in a day too many?

Greenberg says of course it is as it trends towards a shorter Test match which certainly is not CA's goal.

“Short answer for that in my opinion is yes,” he replied.

“As mesmerising and fascinating and enjoyable as it was to watch as a fan, we want Test cricket clearly to go for longer.

“Simple phrase I’d use is short Tests are bad for business. I can’t be much more blunt than that.

“So I would like to see a slightly broader balance between the bat and the ball. I thought yesterday slightly favoured the ball.

“The batters have some ownership in some of that, it’s not all around the pitch, but we’ve got some challenges.”

Listen to the Greenberg interview below:

9am - England look shot

Simon Katich believes England look shot on the back of their subpar Boxing Day showing.

The Poms were rolled for 110 on a wild day of cricket which saw 20 wickets fall.

"It looks like England are shot with the way they played in that innings," the former Aussie opener said on SEN Cricket.

"Yes, it was doing a fair bit out there but they just didn't want to know about it.

"It feels like they're already on the BA (British Airways) flight home and we haven't even hit Sydney yet."