England v Australia: Ashes fifth Test, day one – live

Alive and singing – here come the players for some anthem action.

OF COURSE Australia will bowl!

Crows Jeremy Boyce of err France.

“If only to not allow England to go on another T20 4th innings batting spree. The mind games have begun before they’re even on the pitch.”

Do you know what Jeremy? The sun is starting to come out here at the Oval. Pat Cummins will be looking out of the changing room window and cursing his luck. For the time being…

Robbie Chedburn thinks the Aussie’s might be loosened up a little after their retention.

“Morning James, this is the big one, the one we’ve all been waiting for. Although saying that it’s not as big as it might have been. But still feels like a huge match.”

Yep, the atmosphere is bubbling up here at the Oval. A dead rubber this is NOT.

"I wonder if Australia having retained the ashes may loosen them up a bit and allow them to play with a bit more gusto!”

Does gusto mean having England 20-5 under cloudy skies this morning Robbie?

“Morning James”

G’Morning to you Steff Perciballi.

“Which team has more to play for here? Also, are we witnessing the end of James Anderson’s reign as a top class bowler?”

Hmm, on the first point I reckon both teams will be absolutely desperate to win. Australia want to claim the urn outright and as Geoff and Ali’s piece mention – it could be last chance saloon for some of their more distinguished squad members to bag a series in England.

There’s no two ways about it from the other side either – England will be hell bent on winning here.

On Anderson – I think he’s been pout of luck in this series and looked a bit flat at times. But he’s still incredibly skilful and his pace has been decent. All the talk is that he will carry on into India and perhaps beyond.

Bit of cloud around, it’s muggy here in south London. Will it move around? Ben Stokes confirms he would have had a bowl too.

England are unchanged, we knew that, and for Australia Todd Murphy comes in for Cameron Green.

Geoff Lemon on Pat Cummins’ unfinished business:

Time to catch up on things. First up – here’s Ali Martin on the long goodbyes:

Welcome to the internet Oval for the last Ashes Test match of the summer. We’ve had more ups and downs than the members of Chumbawamba pogoing on a paternoster.

After the rain kiboshed the end of a the Old Trafford Test last week Australia have retained the Ashes… but they really want to win them. They fluffed their lines when they arrived at the Oval in a similar position four years ago, Pat Cummins’ side will be desperate to chalk up a win here and take the series emphatically 3-1. If they manage that then it’ll be the Aussies’ first series win in England since 2001.

Ben Stokes’ side dominated proceedings in Manchester and whilst the atmosphere at the Oval isn’t quite crackling yet I reckon it might be once play begins. As Stokes alluded to himself yesterday, 3-1 feels very different to 2-2.

The Aussie players are doing keepy uppies on the outfield (David Warner looks a bit out of his depth, bless him) and the punters are filing in from Oval station and down the Harleyford Road from Vauxhall.

You all up for this? Reckon so. For one last time then…