The Ashes second Test day two AS IT HAPPENED: Aussies hang on to take momentum into day three; Dropped catches sting England

Thanks for tuning into our coverage of day two in Brisbane!

We'll be back with you again on Saturday for day three!

WRAP OF DAY'S PLAY

And that's stumps on day two. Alex Carey and Michael Neser navigate the remainder of the night.

Obviously, both were dropped multiple times so it hasn't exactly been clean, but they will be there tomorrow afternoon to help extend Australia's lead.

All the Aussie batsmen got starts. Four 50-run partnerships today (and one 49-run partnership and counting). But nobody went on and made a big score.

Still, they'll feel like they've put themselves in a strong position.

They'll hope to pass 400 tomorrow and make things daunting for England. Obviously they're in no rush with three full days left. If they can put the visitors in to bat in the twilight session tomorrow, that will be their ideal scenario.

Will all depend on how long these two can stick together, of course. Neser a capable batsman and capable of digging in tomorrow.

"Definitely Australia's day," Brett Lee told Fox Cricket.

"Good day for the Australians. They rode their luck though. Five dropped catches from England."

This time it's Joe Root who puts it down at first slip diving behind the keeper, who didn't move. Carey smashed it. Five drops today for England.

It would've been Gus Atkinson's first wicket of the Ashes so far.

Carey hits the next ball for four.

Australia 6/360... Chaos.

Carse drops one coming straight to him and he puts Carey down. Jofra Archer isn't happy. Third drop of the session for England.

The pink ball under lights clearly providing some issues for them.

Good thing they didn't see it necessary to play the lead-in game in Canberra.

Stokes is cramping badly after bowling six straight overs and he's been given some pickle juice by the 12th man, which is allegedly supposed to help with cramps.

But it's also gross, and Stokes struggled to keep it down. You'd imagine his night is done.

The Aussies take the lead late on night two, with four wickets still in the shed.

Can they get through the night without another blunder and build more of a lead tomorrow afternoon?

Michael Neser is hit on the pad first ball and Brendan Julian is adamant it's out, if he's not hit it.

England has three reviews left, so feel comfortable using one here.

... But Neser has smashed it. Not out.

For the second time this innings, a Duckett drop has been immediately followed by a wicket!

Ben Stokes bowls Josh Inglis for 23 Australia five runs behind England's first innings total.

Now we're into the bowlers in tough conditions to bat. The Aussies have really given England an opening here in this final session.

"Great seam presentation, the skipper delivers," says Kerry O'Keeffe on Fox Cricket.

Australia 6/329. Can England bowl them out today?

Oh dear. Ben Duckett has dropped another catch. Inglis this time. He dropped Carey on zero too.

Ben Stokes in his 16th over digging deep and Duckett puts it down. Disastrous.

Michael Vaughan believes Ben Stokes has bowled too much today and hopes he doesn't overwork himself and pick up and injury, as he has been prone to do.

Vaughan says that Stokes has a habit of trying to do everything himself, even when his body can't keep up. Joe Root had a chat to him after his previous over. The skipper looks sore after bowling 15 overs today.

"He has a habit of just bowling and bowling and bowling and then he cops a niggle and he's out for the series," Vaughan told Fox Cricket

"The only one that can stop him is himself. Joe Root having a chat to him.

"He looks sore. It's hot out there. England needs him in Sydney."