By George, I'm not sure they've got it ...

PL: another unconvincing show from Australia's new top order

Australia was 10-286 at the close of play. Half centuries to Webster and Carey, again, swelled the total

It might look skinny on a pitch that had good pace and bounce, but the Alzarri Joseph delivery that bowled Pat Cummins skidded through and suggested that the Australian bowlers might do a bit of mischief.

Coach Andrew McDonald and selector George Bailey were leaning on the rails, like a pair of Roman Emperors looking down in judgment as a sullen Cameron Green made his way from the field and up the stairs to the players’ dressing room a level below.

The man they’d backed to steer the batting engine had been dismissed on the last ball of the session.

Food that could have been enjoyed contemplating the work to be done in the afternoon, stuck in the throat instead. Bailey and McDonald chose to skip lunch and spent the break together talking, occasionally picking up a ball that had strayed from a fielding drill.

Green had smeared an edge from the last delivery straight to gully. If that wasn’t bad enough, alarms and red lights and a terrible burning smell had given clear warning his engine was overheating.

Green, who now bats in high office, had, given the circumstances, put in one of the poorer performances you will see in the final over of the session. Travis Head had worked Jayden Seales’ first delivery through midwicket for a single. Finding himself on strike with five balls to play, Green aimed an ugly drive at a ball that was full and wide, the edge flew straight to John Campbell, who put down an easy chance.

It should have been the reprieve Australia needed to get to lunch three wickets down.

Green got off strike next delivery, but was back on four the penultimate ball of the session. Just get to lunch, son. Nothing stupid. Nearly there.

Again, Seales pitched it full and wide, but Green could not control himself, and this time Roston Chase hung on to the chance at gully. To do it once was careless, to do it twice was just plain ignorant. There was already doubt about whether he has the technique to bat at No. 3, and those two shots cast doubt on his temperament.

Tradition has it that a batter dismissed in such a manner at such a time would be greeted in the dressing by a red-faced coach asking exactly what the duck they were thinking playing like that so close to ducking lunch. All you had to do was let the ball go. It’s not that hard FFS. God give me ducking strength.