To rub salt in the wounds after that dismissal, the Canberra Raiders, who are currently playing St George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL, just celebrated a try by mocking Bairstow’s controversial stumping at Lord’s on Sunday. English player Elliott Whitehead took a guard by the corner flag after Jordan Rapana’s try as his team-mates took pretend fielding positions around him. Rapana then bowled to “wicketkeeper” Zac Woolford, before Whitehead walked out of his “crease” and was stumped. However you view Bairstow’s dismissal, it’s an excellent celebration:
At Headingley, Stokes meanwhile survives a tight Australian review for leg-before as Ali ticks England up to 98 for five.
Change in bowling as Cummins brings Mitchell Starc on to bowl. The left-armer bowls a couple of inswingers before firing one wide outside off to Bairstow. The Yorkshireman cannot resist and flashes hard, but he edges straight to Steve Smith at slip. England are five down and all five wickets have come caught at keeper or slip. Moeen Ali is at the crease – England are in deep trouble.
Steve James: Bairstow will be disappointed with that. The ball from Starc was up there for the drive but he tried to hit it too straight through extra cover with a flat bat rather than letting it come and playing it squarer. Australia are simply catching better than England in this series, and that is one of many crucial factors in their dominance. Miracle required from Ben Stokes, I’m afraid.
Root and Bairstow are out in the middle with the sun baking down on the Headingley turf. Looks like a day for batting, says Simon Wilde as play begins, but Root falls instantly, edging the second delivery of the day from Pat Cummins to first slip. Horror start for England.