The Ashes live scores: Follow the action from Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and England

And now Carey’s gone!

Carse has him nicking to Brook in the cordon, and the wheels have well and truly fallen off before lunch here.

6-88 with Cam Green facing a defining career innings here...

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Trouble now for Australia!

It’s two wickets in as many overs as Khawaja can’t help himself while facing just his second ball.

Short one from Tongue, Khawaja plays a half-hearted pull, and it’s straight to the man at fine leg - who’s Ollie Pope, the sub fielder.

Tongue has 2-21 to go with his first-innings five-for, and it’s now 5-83. Alex Carey and Smith have 15 minutes to navigate before the lunch break.

That’s a HUGE moment in this match!

Head departs for 46, with Carse striking. He gets one to pitch on leg and clip the top of off, with the batter left to laugh as he walks off. Couldn’t quite believe it. Brilliant delivery, with some serious assistance from the pitch and a scrambled seam.

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It’s now 4-82 as Usman Khawaja comes out to join Smith, who’s on 11.

Australia have moved to 3-79, with that overall lead now 121. We’ve got just under half an hour until lunch.

Labuschagne’s 2025 comes to an end with a batting average of just 20.8 for the year. And of course no centuries since 2023. It’s becoming a concern...

Marnus Labuachagne is not happy with his dismissal to Josh Tongue, he’s just hammered his Kookaburra stick into his pads in frustration.

Joe Root’s catch at third slip was sent to the third umpire to check, but replays show he did take the ball cleanly, just getting his fingers under it.

Labuschagne goes for eight off 18 balls and his unimpressive series continues. Remember, he still hasn’t scored a Test ton since the 2023 Ashes.

Steve Smith comes to the crease to face Tongue, who has dismissed him five times across formats and three times in Tests.

Australia are 3-61 and lead by 103.

Head gets another life, with a genuine edge from a rising Stokes ball flying through a gap in the slips cordon and down to the boundary.

The lead is 99.

The Aussies lose two in the first hour - and it was very nearly three in the final over before drinks. Tongue gets Head to cut one in the air, and Will Jacks can only get a hand to it before it spills out. It appears he didn’t quite pick it up in flight.

Head has made his way to 28 and looms large as he often does. Labuschagne has worn the aforementioned knocks and has moved to 7. How vital will the contributions from this pair and the incoming Steve Smith be today?

A bit of strife here as well for Marnus Labuschagne, who has copped two blows to his right hand from Ben Stokes.

Both balls jumped up off a good length, showing just how difficult this deck has been to navigate.

The first one appeared to strike the top of his middle finger, which can be a painful thing, and he ripped his glove off in response.

After a brief pause he copped another one in the same over.

Worth keeping an eye on both his hand - because he was in quite a bit of pain - and also how this wicket behaves as the day goes on.

Marnus is off the mark and the Aussie lead is up to 84.

Here’s the latest on Gus Atkinson’s injury, which looms as a serious concern for England if he can’t resume for the remainder of the day.

Jake Weatherald’s testing series continues, with Ben Stokes striking in his first over!

Stokes produces a beauty that clips the very top of off, and Weatherald was initially going to play, decided to leave, and lived to regret that call.

It’s now 2-40, a lead of 82, as Marnus Labuschagne gets his chance at the crease.