England were left cursing their luck after losing both openers under dark skies in a 20-minute spell that may have altered the course of the first Ashes Test.

Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley fell in successive overs on the third afternoon as they battled fiercely difficult batting conditions and an Australian attack intent on seizing its chance.

The pair had walked out under thick, dark skies after a 75-minute rain delay and failed to survive a mini-session that saw 22 balls bowled, two runs scored and two wickets fall under the floodlights.

Further downpours spared Ollie Pope and Joe Root, who will resume on 28 for two and attempt to turn a narrow lead of 35 into a match-winning position.

The Dukes ball, which had offered nothing over the first two days, came to life during that brief period, but it took considerable skill from Pat Cummins and Scott Boland to ensure it did not go to waste.

Cummins had Duckett (19) brilliantly taken in the gully, the latest on Cameron Green’s production line of outstanding catches, while Crawley (seven) endured a handful of close calls before Boland finally took his outside edge.

Beyond that there were half-a-dozen loud appeals as the ball wobbled through the air and zipped off the pitch, and England will be relieved not to have suffered further losses before the rain returned to bring an early end to proceedings.

Until their struggles in failing light and unsettled overheads, England had enjoyed the best of the day and moved themselves back into a strong position.

They took Australia’s last five wickets for 48, bowling the tourists out for 386 to sneak a slim first innings lead of seven. Ollie Robinson belatedly announced himself in the series, following a wicketless outing on Saturday with three dismissals, with James Anderson and Stuart Broad taking one apiece.

Australia began on 311 for five, 82 behind but seemingly well set with centurion Usman Khawaja at the crease alongside Alex Carey.

Anderson almost parted them with the fourth delivery of the morning when he took Carey’s inside edge from round the wicket.

Anderson had already started to celebrate as Jonny Bairstow tumbled low to his right, but watched in dismay as the ball squirmed free from the wicketkeeper’s glove.

It was a painful start for Bairstow, who already had a missed stumping against Green and another dropped catch off Carey on his ledger, and his frustration was plain to see.

Anderson went back to the drawing board and got his man for 66, forcing one through Carey’s defences and trimming the bails.

Moeen Ali started up at the other end, fresh from receiving a fine from the ICC for using an unauthorised drying agent on his hands during Saturday’s play. If that was an unwanted present on the spinner’s 36th birthday, then things did not get a lot better as he worked through a messy spell.

A return to first-class cricket after almost two years in retirement has clearly caused some damage to the all-rounder’s spinning finger – hence the spray which caught the match referee’s attention. He got away with one loopy full toss but could not stop Cummins launching him for a couple of sixes as he struggled to get any purchase on the ball.

Ben Stokes began to set some highly unusual fields in a bid to knock Australia off their stride and it seemed to work when Robinson uprooted Khawaja’s off stump for 141.

With a ring of catchers stationed in front of square on both sides of the wicket, the centurion tried to manufacture a blow through the covers and ended up misreading a precision yorker.

The tail was knocked over with efficiency after that. Nathan Lyon pulled Robinson straight to deep square-leg and Boland backed away visibly before popping Broad to silly point for his third of the innings. Cummins was last to go for 38, holing out off another Robinson short ball.

Duckett and Crawley made a measured start after lunch, taking advantage of Australia’s cautious fields to pick up easy singles for the second time in the match.

After 6.5 overs they had moved to 26 without loss, in no trouble at all. The subsequent rain delay, and the sharp deterioration in conditions, meant things were incomparable when they re-emerged in nightmare circumstances at 3.30pm.

The rain was close, but not close enough to spare the top-order pair as Australia made full use of the assistance to claim the upper hand.

Australia will head into next week’s Ashes as Test world champions after they stamped out Indian resistance in ruthless fashion to claim a 209-run win at the Oval.

With just five days to go before they renew their biggest rivalry against England at Edgbaston, Australia soared to victory, dismissing India for 234 on the final morning of the ICC’s second World Test Championship final.

Scott Boland provided the key breakthrough, removing star batter Virat Kohli in the seventh over of the day and making it a double strike by dismissing Ravindra Jadeja two balls later.

Boland was unlikely to play until injury ruled Josh Hazlewood out, but the bustling 34-year-old seamer must now be well fancied to take on Ben Stokes’ side in Friday’s first Test.

Everything was on the line on the fifth day of the red-ball showpiece, with 280 runs needed and seven wickets up for grabs. Ordinarily, such an equation would have made Australia overwhelming favourites, but Kolhi’s presence as a master chaser left Indian fans with real belief that their side could make a record 444 to win the match.

He was in fluent touch on the previous evening, reeling off a punchy 44, but he added just five more to his score as Boland landed the key wicket.

Immediately after beating the outside by a whisker he tossed one wider and drew a lavish drive from Kohli, who sprayed a rapid chance between second and third slip. Steve Smith did the rest, throwing himself into action to take a brilliant catch.

Unlike an equally outstanding take from Cameron Green on day four, there was no debate whatsoever about the legality of this one, nor of its relevance to the final outcome. With Kohli gone for 49, India’s hopes were all but over.

Their fans, who have dominated the stands all week and who poured in on Sunday in the hope of witnessing a famous victory, were dumbstuck.

If anybody doubted it, then Boland wasted no time in hammering home the point. Two balls later he was celebrating again, Jadeja caught behind for a duck as Boland found a hint of movement around off stump.

When Srikar Bharat saw a thick edge squirt off the toe of the bat it looked like three wickets in four deliveries for Boland, but this time the ball kept rising and narrowly beat a leaping David Warner at first slip.

Ajinkya Rahane did his best to reinvigorate the battle, stroking a couple of regal drives down the ground, but Australia held all the cards. He departed for 46, struck clean in front of the stumps attempting a sweep.

Mitchell Starc, who could be vulnerable if Hazlewood comes back in against England, added the wicket of Umesh Yadav, but the rest of the tail was mopped up in efficient style by Nathan Lyon.

He finished with figures of four for 41, nailing Shardul Thakur lbw, collecting a skier of a return catch from Bharat and finishing things up when Mohammed Siraj steered a reverse sweep straight to point.

Australia’s celebrations began in earnest as the formed a circle in the middle of the pitch, while India were once again runners-up, having lost the inaugural final to New Zealand two years ago.

India were scrapping to stay afloat in the World Test Championship final after a top order collapse left Australia in the driving seat on day two of the World Test Championship final.

Australia were all out for 469 in their first innings, Steve Smith following in the footsteps of first day centurion Travis Head to post 121, and then snapped up key wickets to establish a dominant position.

Each of their seam quartet struck as India lurched to 71 for four in the 19th over, before spinner Nathan Lyon joined the party and ended a battling fifth-wicket stand.

Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja doubled the score before the latter nicked Lyon to slip for 48. By stumps India were 318 behind on 151 for five, with plenty of work to do retain a realistic chance of succeeding New Zealand as red-ball world champions.

Australia arrived in the morning already boasting a healthy position on 327 for three. At that stage, they were surely hoping to clear 500, but India landed a few handy blows of their own as they took the last seven wickets for 108.

With 10 overs before lunch to work their magic, the Australian seamers made short work of the India openers. Captain Pat Cummins made the initial opening, thumping his opposite number Rohit Sharma halfway up the front pad with one that shaped in towards middle and off.

Scott Boland then joined the fray, seaming one in sharply and rearranging Shubman Gill’s stumps as he paid the price for a poorly judged leave. Boland filled his boots against England Down Under in 2021/22, taking a remarkable six for seven on debut at the MCG, and he made a compelling case for holding his spot at Edgbaston next week with 11 high-quality overs with the Dukes ball.

India survived a potential gut punch when star batter Virat Kohli came close to departing for a duck, withdrawing the bat only to see an inside edge spray off the toe and zip past his stumps, but their struggles continued after the break.

Cheteshwar Pujara belied his years of experience in English climes by aping Gill’s error, shaping to leave all-rounder Cameron Green and paying with the off stump.

Kohli’s exit left India in strife but he was at least guilty only of receiving a brutish delivery from Mitchell Starc.

The left-armer was expensive, shipping 52 from nine overs, but showed off his ability to deliver big moments when he got one to explode off a length at Kohli and rap the thumb of his bottom hand as it sprayed to slip.

India’s position left a lot to be desired but, with Australians sensing blood, Rahane’s perseverance and Jadeja’s counter-attacking nature served them well.

They put on 71 together, parted only when Lyon offered a change of pace. He forced Jadeja into an unusually defence stroke and clipped the outside edge to break the stand.

Smith had earlier brought up his 31st Test century, his seventh in England and his third at the Oval. Resuming on 95, he dispatched his first two balls of the morning from Mohammed Siraj to the boundary to reach three figures with minimal fuss.

India made regular inroads to keep the game moving forwards, Head departing for a classy 163 as Siraj got him brushing to the keeper with a bumper aimed at the ribs and Smith ending a five-and-a-half hour stay with an uncharacteristically loose prod that canoned into his stumps.

Australia are set to welcome back Travis Head for the second Test against India starting Friday, while also handing a debut to left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann.

Head, currently ranked as the fourth-best Test batsman in the world, was questionably dropped for the series opener in Nagpur despite an outstanding Australian summer.

He will come back into the side to replace Matt Renshaw after disappointing with two combined runs from his two innings in Nagpur.

Head will bat at number five, slotting in behind Steve Smith and in front of Peter Handscomb.

Meanwhile, fast bowler Scott Boland was replaced by Kuhnemann, leaving captain Pat Cummins as the only quick in the Australian team.

Kuhnemann brings a different aspect to the Australian spin attack as the only left-armer, earning his Test debut after four appearances in the One Day side.

India announced only one change to their team that ran away with a comfortable victory in the series opener, with Shreyas Iyer slotting in at number five in place of Suryakumar Yadav.

Australia XI: D Warner, U Khawaja, S Smith, M Labuschagne, T Head, P Handscomb, A Carey (wk), P Cummins (c), T Murphy, N Lyon, M Kuhnemann.

India XI: KL Rahul, R Sharma (c), C Pujara, V Kohli, S Iyer, S Bharat (wk), A Patel, R Ashwin, R Jadeja, M Shami, M Siraj.

Josh Hazlewood's rotten luck with injuries has continued after he was ruled out of the opening Test between India and Australia.

Hazlewood, who has played only four Tests in the last two years, will not feature in Nagpur on Thursday due to an Achilles issue, with Scott Boland in line to play instead.

A side injury suffered against West Indies in November saw Hazlewood miss not only the second Test of that series, but also the first two matches against South Africa in December.

He returned for the final Test of that series, taking 5-57 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, but will now have to recover from another niggle.

Hazlewood joins fellow paceman Mitchell Starc in missing the first Test of the four-match India series, while all-rounder Cameron Green is also a doubt, meaning an overseas bow for Boland is likely.

Boland has taken 28 wickets across his six Test appearances.

Discussing the injury, Hazlewood said: "It's still lingering from the [Sydney] Test match [against South Africa].

"We obviously bowled after a lot of rain and the jump-offs were quite soft, where we were taking off from and they ended up replacing them as well.

"It sort of worked to a degree, but just that extra load jumping off a soft ground to bowl and again first Test match your body is not used to that sort of workload as well.

"So we thought we'd give it a few days here straight off the bat and try and get over the hump and have a bowl from Tuesday and hope it goes well."

Boland has the full backing of his team-mate, however.

"Scotty has bowled plenty at the MCG when it was a flat wicket, it probably wasn't swinging or reverse swinging so he knows how to work hard for a long period of time," Hazlewood said.

"You've got Lance Morris who has worked hard on reverse swing for the last month and then a nice lead in here with a few sessions.

"The guys are excited first of all to play in the subcontinent, they both haven't yet, but they're very well qualified to do so."

Australia announced an 18-player squad for their upcoming tour of India, with Mitchell Starc to miss the first Test of the series due to a finger injury.

Starc suffered tendon damage and a fracture to the middle finger on his bowling hand during the Boxing Day Test against South Africa at the MCG, although he was able to tough it out and return to the field.

The 32-year-old was ruled out of the final Test of the series in Sydney and selectors confirmed on Wednesday that Starc's recovery will mean he will not fly over to India with the rest of Australia's squad.

In more positive news, Cameron Green is expected to make a full recovery in time for the series opener on February 9, having undergone surgery on a finger injury of his own.

"Greeny, we're hopeful that he should be right for the first Test," chair of selectors George Bailey said.

"But if not that, that's okay. We feel like we've got the squad that can cover that. 

"Starcy's not expected to be available for the first Test, in fact he's going to come across to India a touch later."

If there is one area of the squad where Australia could afford an injury, it is in the fast-bowling department.

With Starc out, captain Pat Cummins will likely be joined by Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland in the pace attack, while the rapid Lance Morris has been named in the squad and might feel overdue for a look-in.

Australia also named four spinners, with veteran campaigner Nathan Lyon joined by Ashton Agar, Mitchell Swepson and uncapped off-spinner Todd Murphy.

Bailey addressed the condition of back-up wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb, who was forced to retire hurt immediately after hitting a six while playing for St Kilda in a T20 on Tuesday, having been nailed in the hip the previous over.

"Pete's got a scan tomorrow morning to check on that," Bailey said. "He's confident it's nothing too serious.

"A bit of a mishap. He just copped a ball on the back hip, and then three balls later he dispatched one and just felt something give a little bit in there.

"There's still quite a bit of time between now and when we depart and even when the first test is, so we'll work through that as we get more information."

Bailey confirmed Handscomb is still third in the pecking order, but selectors have opted to give Josh Inglis the tour off to allow him to play some first-class cricket.

"Josh is absolutely still our backup or number two wicketkeeper," he said. "But we're also conscious that he has been on a number of tours and hasn't actually been able to play a great deal of cricket."

The first Test of of the four-match series starts in Nagpur on February 9.

Cameron Green claimed his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket as Australia bowled out South Africa for 189 to take charge of the second Test on Boxing Day at the MCG.

The Australians, who lead the three-game series 1-0, are 45-1 in reply with David Warner, playing his 100th Test, surviving through to stumps on 32 not out alongside Marnus Labuschagne (5no).

Australia captain Pat Cummins raised a few eyebrows by opting to bowl after winning the toss but will feel justified given the state of play, while South Africa have now gone seven Test innings without reaching 200.

The Proteas slumped to 67-5 with local hero Scott Boland claiming the opening wicket of Sarel Erwee (18) before some brilliance from Labuschagne in the field, running out skipper Dean Elgar for 26 with a direct hit before pulling off a flying catch to dismiss Khaya Zondo (5).

But Kyle Verreynne and Marco Jansen led the rearguard, which had the hosts worried before Green took centre stage with his ability to swing the old ball.

He dismissed both Verreynne (52) and Jansen (59) with edges to first slip Steve Smith and wicketkeeper Alex Carey respectively.

Verreynne and Jansen had combined for a 108-run stand which was only South Africa's third 100-run partnership of the calendar year.

From there, Western Australian all-rounder Green made light work of the tail to finish with 5-27 as the Proteas' final five wickets fell for just 10 runs.

In 12 overs late in the day, Australia lost Usman Khawaja (1) who was caught behind by Verreynne off Kagiso Rabada, while under-fire Warner appeared focused in his milestone game and navigated his way through to stumps.

Starc injury concern for Aussies

Green's five-wicket haul came at a good time for Australia with Verreynne and Jansen appearing settled, but also with left-arm quick Mitchell Starc nursing a finger injury.

Starc spent time off the field for treatment on the middle finger of his bowling hand after diving to catch Jansen's lofted shot to long-on, returning with heavy taping on the issue.

Local hero delights again

Boland only finished with 1-34 from his 14 overs but the Victorian right-arm fast bowler was cheered by his parochial crowd throughout, dating back to his heroics at the same venue 12 months ago in the Ashes when he took 6-7.

Boland got the opening wicket with perfect line and length, drawing an edge from opener Erwee to third slip Khawaja.

Scott Boland has kept his place in Australia's team for the Boxing Day Test, with Josh Hazlewood withdrawing from contention.

Boland has been in fine form since coming into Australia's Test team, taking 25 wickets in five appearances in the format at an average of 10.36.

The 33-year-old fast-medium pacer took 4-42 in Australia's six-wicket defeat of South Africa in Brisbane in the opening match of the series, but might well have lost his place to Hazlewood in Melbourne.

But Hazlewood, who has been recovering from a side strain, elected to withdraw from contention as he felt "underdone", earning the praise of captain Pat Cummins.

"We gave Joshy every chance,, it just got to a stage where he more than anyone else felt like he was a little bit underdone," Cummins said.

"It's a mark of the man really, he himself said 'don't feel quite right' so he kind of pulled himself out of selection.

"We talk a lot about how as a team we need a squad mentality and I think it's another great example."

Hazlewood trained well before the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but Cummins explained a decision between the veteran campaigner and Boland did not have to be made in the end.

"We didn't really get to the decision point, we gave it enough time and it played out," Cummins said.

"There would have been a part of everyone that would've felt a little bit aggrieved if Scott missed out."

Australia opener David Warner, meanwhile, is set to hit the landmark of 100 Tests after keeping his place at the top of the order.

South Africa captain Dean Elgar did not reveal his starting XI, as he urged his batters to step up as the Proteas aim to keep their chances in the series alive.

But he conceded their batters must improve with the series on the line.

"We've always been in a good space since we've been in Australia," Elgar told reporters.

"We've just been through a bit of a hurdle in the last week – but I think both batting units have been through that.

"We've started afresh and we know runs on the board is key.

"We've had a few good conversations but at the moment talk is cheap. Your best reference point is putting performances on the board."

Australia XI to face South Africa: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

Scott Boland claimed a spectacular triple wicket maiden to leave Australia on the brink of a 2-0 series victory over West Indies at the Adelaide Oval.

Mitchell Starc also claimed a wicket to leave West Indies on 38-4 in their second innings and needing an improbable 459 runs to avoid defeat on Sunday.

West Indies resumed play on day three on 102-4 and got off to a poor start when shining light Tagenarine Chanderpaul (47) was run-out by Starc.

Jason Holder (0) then edged Starc behind and, while Anderson Phillip (43) and Joshua da Silva (23) put together a 60-run seventh-wicket stand, the Windies soon faded again.

The tourists reached 214, and Australia then built up a seemingly unsurmountable lead as they posted 199-6 declared in their second innings and sent their opponents back in to bat.

Usman Khawaja top-scored with 45 off 50 balls for Australia, while Marnus Labuschagne (31), Steve Smith (35) and Travis Head (38 not out) all contributed in a rapid 31-over innings from Australia.

West Indies' opening batters were 15-0 off five overs when Smith brought in Boland, who took the wicket of Kraigg Braithwaite (3) off his first ball.

Boland then trapped Shamarh Brooks (0) in front with a ball that nipped back into the right-hanger from his third delivery, before snaring Jermaine Blackwood (0) with his sixth.

Chanderpaul did not fare much better as he was dismissed for a second time in the day three overs later for 17 when caught by Alex Carey off the bowling of Starc.

Labuschagne adds further misery

West Indies are winless in their past 18 Tests against Australia since 2003 and they have not had many – if any – worse days across that run than Saturday.

They lost 10 wickets for 150 runs across two innings, either side of Australia piling another 199, with Labuschagne's 31 taking him to 502 runs from his four innings – the sixth-most scored in a two-Test series.

Boland rips through Windies

Boland famously took 6-7 against England on his Test debut in last year's Ashes and he produced a display that was equally as ruthless here.

The 33-year-old, making just his fourth Test outing, claimed 3-9 off 5.2 overs bowled and now has a bowling average 9.81 for his 21 wickets.

Australia captain Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the second Test against the West Indies starting Thursday in Adelaide due to a quad strain, with Scott Boland to replace him in the XI.

Cummins did not bowl in the second innings of Australia's 164-run first Test win in Perth, which concluded on Sunday, although he participated in the field on the final day, appearing laboured.

The Aussie captain attempted to complete a fitness test at training on Tuesday, but has since been ruled out.

"Team medical staff commenced Cummins' recovery in Adelaide but selectors deemed there was not sufficient time for the fast bowler to be fully fit for the match, which starts tomorrow," a Cricket Australia statement said.

Steve Smith will skipper the Australians in Cummins' absence for the second time since his leadership ban expired.

Boland comes in for his fourth Test and first since last year's Ashes, where he burst on to the scene with a scintillating 6-7 on debut at the MCG.

Australian selectors had added fast bowlers Michael Neser and Lance Morris to their initial 13-man squad for the day-night Adelaide Test, with both overlooked. Marcus Harris is the other player to miss out.

CA said Cummins is expected to be fit for the upcoming Test series against South Africa, which will commence on Saturday December 17 in Brisbane.

Australia have handed a shock call-up to uncapped WA speedster Lance Morris for the day-night second Test against the West Indies in Adelaide starting Thursday.

Morris, along with Queensland fast bowler Michael Neser, have been drafted into the 15-man Australia squad with doubts lingering over skipper Pat Cummins' availability due to a quad injury.

Cummins did not bowl in the second innings of Australia's 164-run win over the West Indies, which concluded on Sunday in Perth, but did spend time in the field and indicated he was hopeful of playing in Adelaide.

Victorian fast bowler Scott Boland, who was in Australia's initial 13-man squad, is Cummins' likely replacement should he not prove his fitness, with Morris and Neser coming in as cover.

Morris, 24, is a Test bolter, having enjoyed an excellent 2022-23 Sheffield Shield season for WA, taking a competition-high 27 wickets in five matches.

Neser, who made his Test debut against England in Adelaide last year, has taken 24 wickets in five Shield matches for Queensland.

"Michael has been with the squad on a regular basis in past seasons and was simply outstanding in Adelaide last summer," Australia selection chair George Bailey said. "He has continued to perform incredibly consistently since and will be warmly welcomed back.

"Lance is another of the outstanding young fast bowlers coming through the ranks. He has genuine pace and his ability to create opportunities for wickets is a real drawcard. It will be great experience for him to come into the environment."