Live Commentary: The Ashes - Fourth Test, Day Two - as it happened

Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the second day of the fourth Ashes Test match between England and Australia.

Did anyone have a dream yesterday where Stuart Broad took eight wickets before lunch to help England bowl Australia out for 60? Then afterwards, Joe Root hit an unbeaten 124 across two sessions to give England a lead of 214 after the first day of an Ashes Test? Oh, it wasn't a dream, it actually happened? Should be fun today then...

It would be foolish to think that this game was done and dusted already, but England could not be in a stronger position heading into day two. What transpired on Thursday was fairytale stuff, and we probably won't see another day like that in an Ashes Test in our lifetime. That said, the Three Lions need to take full advantage of their dominance yesterday and put themselves out of reach of an Australia side who, despite their frailties, always have the potential to mount a response. Of course, I'm being the ultimate pessimist, but make no mistake about it, Australia will be hurting and they HAVE to provide a response today.

In about 20 minutes time, England will resume on 274-4, with the lead currently standing at 214. Alastair Cook will have eyes on seeing that advantage taken way past 300 but his side need to avoid being too gung-ho this morning. The game has advanced at a rapid rate but we are still only three sessions into the match. Joe Root should be given the platform to play his natural game while the others attempt to support him in the same manner in which Jonny Bairstow did during their 173-run partnership.

Night-watchman Mark Wood could also have a part to play with the bat too. Australia will look to gain som confidence by removing him early doors, but if he can frustrate the likes of Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson, the Baggy Greens could implode. He's no slouch with the bat either - he has two first-class fifties to his name from 45 innings, while he also hit an unbeaten 32 in the first Test in Cardiff.

If you're an Australian fan, what's the best that you can hope for today? Bowl England all out and get to within a 100 of their total by the close? Ashes cricket is difficult to predict - they could be slightly better off or much, much worse - but there will be no signs of waving the white flag. Even if they can't get back into the game, there is pride on the line for Australia. Michael Clarke is also fighting to keep his place in the side, which effectively means his Test career is on the line.

As far as the weather is concerned, we are led to believe that we will get another uninterrupted day's play...unless a mass rain dance from followers of Australia works.

Before we get underway today, it would be unfair not to talk about the exploits of Stuart Broad yesterday morning. Most sportsmen and women look for moments in their career for which they will forever be remembered and the pace bowler achieved that yesterday. His 9.3-over spell broke all kinds of records, but more importantly, it broke Australia's heart and resolve and it will go down as one of the most devastating spells of bowling in Test cricket history. He probably owes Ben Stokes a drink or two for THAT catch to dismiss Michael Clarke. I don't know about you, but I've watched it about 30 times. It was incredible.

Here come Australia to a muted reception from the Nottingham crowd. Following them are Root and Wood, who know they must continue the job they began last night. It will be Mitchell Johnson to bowl first in overcast conditions. Could be interesting. Play...

Root defends the opening two balls, before Johnson slides the ball down the leg-side from round the wicket. Root gets the first run of the morning off the penultimate ball of the over, but it comes via the inside edge - he's a bit fortunate there. Wood defends the last ball, but it swung in sharply on the night watchman.

Mitchell Starc is on at the other end but Root takes his score to 128 with three runs through the leg-side. Wood picks up a quick single to move to three. Root sees out the rest of the over but he played and missed at the final delivery.

England register their first boundary of the day, but it comes from Wood, not Root, who flicks the ball down to the third-man boundary. The next ball, Wood drills a superb shot over the in-field for a second successive four and Johnson isn't happy. The remainder of the over brings no runs but Wood looks prepared to take his chances against Johnson, who has now conceded 80 runs in 18 overs.

Just a single off the over from Root, but England will be happy with that. Starc finished up with a terrific yorker to Wood, which ended up breaking the night watchman's bat.

Root has no issue with rotating the strike to Wood as he whips a single to long off the second ball. Why would he though? Wood middles the most stunning of cover drives straight to the boundary before he flicks the ball through the leg-side for two. He ends the over with a nudge down the ground for two. Super cricket. He now has 19 off 25 balls.

I was just about to mention that Root had played and missed at a couple of Starc deliveries, but the Australian fast bowler finally has his man when he edges through to the wicket-keeper. A fine knock of 130 has come to an end but it's put England in full control. Ben Stokes is the new man at the crease.

Wood slashes at a full delivery from Johnson but despite a thick edge, the ball just clears the slips. The 300 is up for England. Wood follows that with another crushing cover drive to race to 27 off 27 and Johnson is approaching three figures without taking a wicket. Johnson optimistically appeals when the ball crashes into Wood's pads but it was always going down the leg-side. The over ends with Wood picking up another single thanks to an inside edge.

Well that's the end of Mark Wood! Starc picks up his fifth wicket with the perfect yorker that uproots Wood's leg stump. Valuable runs from the Durham man though.

Jos Buttler is in at number eight. He could do with some runs after a lean spell of late. Starc keeps the pressure on but Buttler is off the mark with a punch down the crowd for four. England's lead is now up at 250.

It's time for Josh Hazlewood to be introduced into the attack and he immediately drags the ball down the leg-side for Stokes to get off strike with a leg bye. Buttler seems to be taking the offensive approach to try to get back into form and after a beautiful cover drive, he sends the ball back past the bowler to quickly move to 12 off 11 deliveries.

This is an outstanding spell of bowling from Mitchell Starc. Stokes get off the mark with a single but with the very next ball, Buttler is clean bowled with a vicious in-swinger. Career best figures of 6-83 for Starc.

Starc welcomes Moeen Ali with a wayward delivery down the leg-side which goes for four byes. The final ball is then sent to the boundary by the new batsman, who flicks the ball off his pads to get off the mark.

This England innings is petering out a touch now. Stokes moves to five with a thick outside edge that flies past Shaun Marsh but with the penultimate delivery, he gets the faintest of edges of a ball bowled down the leg-side by Hazlewood and he's walking before Nevill can take the catch. After coming out to a standing ovation, Stuart Broad is off the mark with a single to fine leg.

An uneventful over sees Broad pick up a quick single towards the end of the over. The new ball is up in three overs. If we get that far, it will be interesting to see how much it swings because this 77-over ball looks rather useful.

Broad adds another single to get off strike before Moeen sees out the rest of the over. It's time for drinks. England have added 61 runs for four wickets during the opening hour. It's nothing to write home about but in terms of the game, they will take it.

None of Broad's four runs have come off the middle of the bat but he won't care. Neither will Moeen, who records successive boundaries. The first was fired through the covers before the second was flicked over the leg-side in-field. He now has 12 off 13. One more over to go with the old ball.

Nathan Lyon is brought on for just six balls but he should have a wicket to his name. An LBW appeal is turned down but it looks plumb. On review, the ball is shown to be hitting leg stump but it pitched outside. Broad survives! Lyon is none too happy. Moeen ends the over with a huge six down the ground to take England past 350.

Surprisingly, Michael Clarke decides to continue with the old ball and Broad takes advantage with a stunning shot to the deep mid-wicket boundary. Starc immediately calls for the new ball and he gets his wish. He does nothing with it though as Broad advances to 13 with a clip to fine leg.

Sometimes, a captain knows best. Hazlewood's first use of the new ball sees a wide followed by two cruching fours from Moeen, who now has 26 off 16. That becomes 27 off 17 with a mis-time cut but it brings Broad on strike, who slogs the ball to the boundary for four before a huge pull shot earns him six more. Yesterday's hero plays and misses off the last ball but 20 runs come from the over. The lead is now up to 319.

Moeen brings the fifty partnership with a mis-timed drive for four but Broad is lucky to avoid getting bat on ball with an expansive attempt at a wide ball. Ali has 34 and Broad has 23.

Johnson goes into three figures when Ali slashes the ball away for an eight boundary but off the very next ball, Steven Smith pulls off a worldie of a catch to give his teammate his first wicket of the match. It's not quite as jaw-dropping as Stokes, but it's not far off. Steven Finn survives the rest of the over but the end could be nigh for England.

Broad adds another single to his total before Steven Finn sees out the rest of the over. There's not a lot of urgency from England to go after their shots now. it might have been worth it to get Australia in before lunch.

Either Alastair Cook has been reading this commentary or that is a very smart declaration. The score was going nowhere and Australia must now return to bat out the final 10 minutes of the session.

England added a further 117 runs during that session. Wickets fell at regular intervals but they have ensured that the game is progressing at a fast pace and Australia wasn't expecting that declaration. England lead by 331 runs and the pressure is all on their opponents.

Both teams have returned to the pitch and Stuart Broad is limbering up. Can lightning strike twice? Probably not, but this 10-minute spell should be fun...

Broad opens up with a vicious short delivery to Chris Rogers, but the Australian plays it well. Australia are away when Broad strays down the leg-side and the ball finds the boundary off Rogers's hip. There are louds appeals for an LBW shout off the penultimate ball but it's too high and pitching outside.

Rogers spends an age taking his guard after getting back on strike in an attempt to ensure that this is the final over before lunch. After he has finished messing about, he gets off a pair with two super shots for four. Rogers's plan hasn't worked though - we will have one more over before lunch.

LUNCH! Broad begins the third over with two jaffas, but somehow, David Warner avoids making contact with the ball. He follows it up with a third of supreme length but Warner survives again. The crowd are on their feet but Warner finally gets bat to ball. Broad replies with a fourth ball that is unplayable but Warner avoids contact again. Incredible stuff. The final ball is hit for a single and Australia make it to lunch without losing any wickets. That's important.

After another enthralling session, we finally reach lunch. Australia have reached 14-0 but they still trail by a massive 317 runs. See how they eat into that deficit when we return in 30 minutes.

Welcome back for the second session of three on day two of the fourth Ashes Test match at Trent Bridge. As you probably know, Australia successfully negotiated three overs before lunch but they have probably have to bat through five sessions in order to give themselves a chance of salvaging a win from this match. Their chances are remote, but we shouldn't write them off just yet.

The two teams are making their way out. Rogers and Warner will know that they are going to face a hostile first half-hour from the England bowlers, but it's a tad sunnier than earlier. That should be in their favour.

Warner scores the first two runs of the session thanks to a mis-field before he's slightly fortunate to avoid the fielder when slicing a shot through point. Wood appeals for an LBW against Warner with the final ball of the over but despite taking it to a review, it quickly becomes evident that it was going down the leg-side.

Broad picks up from where he left off before lunch by keeping Warner on the defensive but the opener finally gets a run on the board off the Nottinghamshire man with a prod into the off-side.

Wood hasn't looked all that threatening during the start of this second innings but he comes desperately close to nabbing Rogers, who edges the ball over the flailing hand of Adam Lyth at third slip. This has been a good start from Australia so far.

After surviving everything that Broad threw at him, Warner looks settled now and middles a delightful drive through the covers to move into double figures. England's lead is down to 300.

Wood switches to round the wicket and Rogers goes after a wide one, just missing the outside edge. Rogers was allowed to leave the ball for the rest of the over, with the only run coming from a no-ball.

DROP! England held on to everything yesterday morning, but Alastair Cook has put down a relatively routine catch at first slip. Warner would have been the man gone. Who important could that prove to be?

Very, very important is the answer. Steven Finn has been brought into the attack but Warner welcomes him with successive fours before pulling him for six. Australia are fighting back here. Warner has 24 off 26 and Rogers has reached 16 off 31. England could do with a wicket to dampen the spirit of their opponents.

Australia bring up their 50 in fortuitous style when an inside edge from Rogers goes agonisingly wide of the stumps. That's the bit of luck that the tourists didn't have in the first innings. They are on course to surpass their first total without losing a wicket.

A single from Warner gets Rogers on strike, and he gets in on the act with a drive through mid-off for four. He now has 23. It's time for Ben Stokes to have his first bowl of the match.

Stokes's first ball is well down the leg-side and Rogers gets enough on it to take Australia past 60 to ironic cheers from both sets of supporters. The Baggy Green openers look well set to make a big knock. They still trail by 270 runs, but England have work to do.

Warner survives a miscued pull and an inside edge off a full ball before driving the ball away for four through extra cover. He ends the over by adding a single to take his score to 35 off 40 balls.

It's time for a bit of spin from Moeen Ali, who flies through his over for the loss of just one run. Bit of history coming up in the next over...

DROP! The second ball of Stokes's over is also the millionth delivery bowled in Test cricket in England, the end result being a four down the ground from Warner. However, the drama isn't over and off the penultimate ball, Ian Bell puts down a difficult chance at second slip, again to dismiss Warner. Those kind of chances have to stick, and this one didn't.

Something that we haven't alluded to is Australia's run-rate. They are going along at 4.82 per over, which is aided by a boundary from Rogers through the covers. He has moved to 33.

Stokes is doing a good job of getting the ball to swing both ways but he can't find the outside of either Rogers's or Warner's bat on this occasion. Much-needed maiden for England though.

Rogers decides to cut loose against Moeen and it brings him two more boundaries. The first is cut away towards backwards point while the second is sent through the covers. I don't think spin is the answer at this stage.

Warner progresses to 47 with a streaky four to the right of point before Stokes replies with a couple of ambitious LBW appeals. Both correctly turned down though.

Wood returns in place of Moeen but an uneventful over goes for two runs. England need some inspiration from somewhere. Only Broad and Stokes have come close to picking up a wicket.

Stokes continues his impressive spell with another maiden. The third ball saw Warner dangle his bat out but again, no outside edge. Will his luck change?

This is an absolute disaster for England. Wood concedes two boundaries after wayward deliveries but he thinks he has the wicket of Rogers after he edged to Root. However, replays show that, by millimetres, it was a no-ball. Rogers then brings up his fifty with a slash over the slip cordon. The tide is turning...

Finally! England have the breakthrough thanks to a corker of a catch from Root. It needed something like that to get of one of these two batsmen. Now, can England build on this before tea?

FIFTY! Warner has his fifty thanks to a quickly-run two before he gets so, so lucky after top-edging a pull shot for six. He looked worried there. Warner is racking up the runs of Wood and a couple of balls down the leg-side bring up another five runs. Wood's struggling. Perhaps time for a burst from Broad before the interval. Australia already have 114 runs from this session.

Stokes has done it again! In all fairness, he deserves his success before lunch but Warner has given his wicket away. He was attempting a controlled pull for along the ground but he has top-edged it into the grateful hands of Broad.

Broad is back for a two-over spell before the break but he's immediately hit for four by Steven Smith. He looks to be trying to tempt Smith into driving the ball when he shouldn't, but the world's best batsman is reserved so far.

Half an hour ago, England looked nervy and needing inspiration. Well that inspiration has come from Stokes, who has ppicked up his third wicket in an excellent spell by having Marsh edge to Root, who barely has to move to take a simple catch. In comes Michael Clarke for the last over before tea.

What is happening here! Australia are folding, that's what's happening! Smith attempts a drive but it's straight to Stokes, who had been positioned specifically for that shot. Broad moves into fourth place in England's all-time list, moving past Fred Trueman.

TEA! Adam Voges is in to see off the final four balls before tea. He hits the first for two before Broad returns with an unplayable delivery. The third is defended on the front foot before the last one is sent down the leg-side. That will be tea.

Things looked a little worrying when Australia were at 113-0 but four wickets in 27 balls has changed the course of this innings. Australia remain 193 run behind with just six wickets remaining. Can England win the Ashes after tea? See you in 15 minutes to find out.

Welcome back! Michael Clarke and Adam Voges have made their way to the middle which means we are all set to get underway for this third session of day two. England can afford to be aggressive here.

Clarke is off the mark with the first ball but it's anything but confident. He could have been caught first ball there. Four byes are added off the final delivery. Stokes clinched his left hamstring during that over, will be interesting to see if he continues.

Broad is operating with five slips in place but Voges edges the ball through sixth slip for four. The rest of the over sees Broad pepper him with in-swingers but to his credit, he handles them well.

Stokes continues and beats Clarke all ends up with a good-length delivery. The Aussie skipper is able to get off strike with a ball down the leg-side, and that proves to be the only run coming off the over.

Another single from Clarke is Australia's lot for the fourth over after tea. No expansive shots on show now. It's very much time to dig in.

Clarke moves to seven with a neat shot through mid-wicket, but there's a bit of a lull in the action. Perhaps those sandwiches at tea are still being digested.

Voges receives a ball on the leg-side and comfortably dispatches it for his second four of the innings. Two more followed through short-leg and Australia now trail by 171. They are nearly halfway to forcing England to bat again.

Steven Finn is back into the attack after bowling just three overs before tea and he opens with a maiden.

Just a single for Voges from that over too. There's not really a whole lot more I can tell you other than Stokes just broke some kind of record for eating a banana.

Good line and length from Finn but he's not bowling at the speeds he has become known for in the past. Voges nicks a single off the last ball to move to 14 off 32 balls. Clarke has eight from 26.

Wood is back and instantly serves Voges a short ball to carve away to the boundary. Very poor. The next ball is edged downwards towards Root, with the ball just failing to carry. Wood improves during the rest of the over but he looks like a bowler who needs a wicket.

More tight bowling from Finn but he doesn't look like getting a wicket any time soon. Clarke hits a single off the last ball to move to nine. Slow going from the skipper but he won't mind as long as he is still at the crease.

England have their fifth wicket and Clarke is the man who is walking. The Australian skipper edged to Cook, who juggled the ball before the catch was finally taken by Bell. Is that the last time we see Clarke in an Australian Test squad? There's a blow for England though. Ben Stokes has left the pitch with an injury to his left leg. Could be hamstring related, or possibly cramp.

Just the one from the over from Voges but it's full-on survival mode for Australia now. It would be an achievement to take the match into a third day. They have 25 overs to see out.

That wicket has given Wood some added belief and he now looks like a man who believes he can dismiss a couple more. A short delivery has Peter Nevill in all kinds of trouble before the wicket-keeper just avoids the outside edge.

Another leg bye for Australia takes them to within 154 runs of England's total. Just 39 runs have been scored since tea.

A pattern is emerging where Voges gets off strike at the start of the over and his partner sees out the rest. Nevill has faced 19 balls without scoring a run. The pressure will be building after scoring just two in the first innings.

Voges almost departs to a Finn delivery that straightened sharply but he fails to make contact with the ball, and the same happens midway through the over. Finn has bowled six overs since his return and conceded just the three runs. Stokes has returned to the pitch.

Nevill finally gets away at the 20th time of asking with a nudge down to fine leg before a second is brought up in the same fashion after getting back on strike. It's time for drinks. Maybe everyone will return more enthusiastically.

Finn thinks he has his 100th Test wicket after Nevill edges to Cook but for the second time today, it's a no ball. This one is a HUGE no ball. Nevill survives and Australia remain five down.

Moeen comes back into the attack but he finds himself being struck to the rope by Voges after over-pitching. There is just no spin there but with Stokes injured, Moeen needs to fill in to give the likes of Broad and Wood a breather.

Just the one leg bye off the over. Finn is finding plenty of swing but he still can't move into three figures. It will come. 17 overs remaining in the day.

Ali offers a short ball to both batsmen and they oblige with a boundary apiece. The 200 is brought up when Nevill edges behind but the ball ricochets off Buttler's gloves. There was never any chance of a catch unless it went directly into his gloves.

Slowly but surely, Voges has put together a good knock here but after reaching 38, he almost departs after edging over Lyth at third slip, He got a hand to it but it always had too much on it. Australia move to within 122 runs.

There's not too much intensity coming from England. Moeen throws down a terrible delibery that runs away for four byes and Cook isn't happy. Voges and Nevill have put on 40 in 12 overs. Stokes is coming back on.

Decent over from the all-rounder, who showed no ill-effects after his previous fitness issue. We've got 13 overs left in the day. It doesn't look like that extra half-hour will be needed...unless Broad can weave his magic in this closing hour.

Like Stokes, Broad returns with a maiden. Both Voges and Nevill are leaving everything they don't need to play.

Nevill scores Australia's first runs for 17 balls with a controlled pull, before four more are added to the total when Stokes sprays the ball down the leg-side.

Voges moves to 45 with three runs played towards the third-man boundary before Nevill advances to 17 off 53 balls with a single. You could hear a pin drop in Trent Bridge. At one stage, the crowd probably thought that they would see England win the Ashes.

Maybe they will see England win the Ashes after all? Stokes claims England's sixth, and his fourth, wicket of the innings by trapping Nevill straight in front of his stumps and not offering a shot. In comes Mitchell Johnson, who needs to find a way to bat to the close.

Broad is charging in at Johnson but he can't force a mistake out of the pantomime villain. At the other end, Voges is five away from his fifty. It's not been spectacular by any stretch of the imagination but he's doing enough to keep his place in the side.

A pull shot through square leg gets Voges to 46 while Johnson gets off the mark with a flick off his pads. There's a quarter-of-an-hour until the close of play.

Five minutes ago, Broad was looking a little weary but he continues to charge in at pace - he looks keen to wrap up this 10-for. He beats the outside edge of Johnson's bat before the Aussie replies with a big shot down the ground for four. Australia are down to requiring 96.

A seventh wicket goes down and Australia are on the brink now. Johnson edges straight to Cook at slip and Stokes has his fifth dismissal. It's been a terrific spell. If there is another wicket before 6.30pm, don't be surprised to see the extra half-hour taken.

Mark Wood comes back into the attack but two balls into his over, the umpires come together to discuss the light before offering Voges and Starc the chance to walk off. Without a second thought, they accept and we will go into a third day.

It's disappointing that England couldn't wrap it up in two days but nevertheless, they will return on Saturday to regain the Ashes. It would take an herculean effort from Australia to deny them now. Ben Stokes has ensured that Australia have been played out of this game with figures of 5 for 35 off 16 overs. His dismissal of both openers just before tea was key.

That will be all from Sports Mole for today. We hope you enjoyed our coverage and that you return for what should be a day of celebration tomorrow. Goodbye for now.