Live Commentary: England vs. Australia: Third ODI - as it happened

Good afternoon everyone. Australia start the day 1-0 ahead in this series. England have faced plenty of criticism following the defeat at Old Trafford. Can they fight back today? Stay with me to find out.

People have blamed the balance of the team, the decision to bowl first and the bowling attack. In truth, Australia were just the better team at Old Trafford. They deserve to lead this series and they'll be confident of winning again in Edgbaston.

I regret to inform you that the covers are on at Edgbaston. it's not the heaviest rain in Birmingham but it's just enough to force the ground staff to keep the covers on. Unfortunately, there could be some more rain on the way later on.

The players were out in the middle not too long ago but the bleak conditions have forced them to go back inside. As a result, the toss has also been delayed. Keep your fingers crossed.

England coach Ashley Giles is still out in the middle. He'll be desperate for a game to be played today. If this match is abandoned, England would have to win the final two games to claim a series victory.

There's some breaking news developing today regarding a former England bowler. Matthew Hoggard, one of the stars of that famous 2005 Ashes series, has announced that he is to retire. The 36-year-old posted on Twitter: "It's been an amazing journey filled with some fantastic experiences shared with great people but time has come to hang the boots up !"

Edgbaston doesn't seem to have much luck with the weather. It seems to rain every time a major game is played at the ground. That's a shame because it really is a fantastic ground for cricket.

It's not too busy inside the ground just yet. I think the locals have probably seen the forecast. The rain has eased off slightly though and it looks like the umpires are going to have a look at the square.

The ground staff are taking their in time in removing some of the covers. It looks a little bit better out there, so we could see the toss soon.

Giles has his players out in the middle again for some pre-match preparations. There could be a window for some cricket very soon but it's the rain scheduled in a couple of hours which could be a problem.

BREAKING NEWS: The umpires have confirmed that the toss will take place at 2.05pm, with the start of play scheduled for 15 minutes later. That is all depending on whether we see any more rain before then.

Well, you obviously kept those fingers crossed because that is some positive news from Edgbaston. If we start at 2.20pm there will be no overs lost to the rain.

If he gets the ball in his hand again at some point today, England will have to be wary of Mitchell Johnson. The seamer looked like a new person in that match at Old Trafford. If he gets it right, which he hasn't done enough, he can be superb.

Eoin Morgan and Michael Clarke are both heading out to the middle now for the toss. On a day like this, the toss can often be crucial.

AUSTRALIA WIN TOSS AND CHOOSE TO BOWL: Clarke correctly calls tails and confirms that the tourists have made one change. Josh Hazlewood replaces leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed.

Morgan admits to Sky Sports that he would have also bowled first, with conditions looking seamer-friendly at Edgbaston. England are unchanged despite that loss in the second ODI. Full teams to follow shortly.

ENGLAND: Pietersen, Carberry, Trott, Root, Morgan, Bopara, Buttler, Stokes, Tredwell, Finn, Rankin

AUSTRALIA: Finch, Marsh, Watson, Clarke, Bailey, Voges, Wade, Faulkner, Johnson, Hazlewood, McKay

The conditions probably made the decision to bowl first pretty easy for Clarke. England will have the weather in the back of their minds too and that can often disrupt the tempo of an innings.

It's cloudy at Edgbaston and the pitch has been under covers, so we could see some help for the seam bowlers. England might find it difficult in the early overs if Johnson, Clint McKay and the rest of the bowlers can hit the right length.

Clarke leads his team out to the middle and they're closely followed by England's openers. Kevin Pietersen and Michael Carberry will be challenged early on but they'll both want to be positive.

McKay will bowl the first over of the match. It's dry, for now. Play!

McKay is slightly too straight midway through the over and Carberry takes advantage by hurrying a single with a push into the leg-side. Shot! Pietersen only bats in one way, we know that. The right-handed batsman begins his innings with a brilliant whip through mid-wicket for four runs.

Oh dear, what an awful way to get out. Pietersen wants a single from the final ball and sprints towards the non-striker's end but Carberry isn't interested. It's the Hampshire man who is left watching McKay knock the bails off as Pietersen makes his ground though. Terrible mix-up.

It's Johnson who opens the bowling from the other end. Jonathan Trott is the new batsman but he's not on strike yet. Johnson begins with two full, quick deliveries and catches the edge with the second one but Pietersen breathes a sigh of relief when the ball drops short of second slip. Pietersen finds a single with a thick inside edge. Johnson is punished for a wide when a bit of swing takes the ball past leg-stump. Trott gets off the mark by flicking the ball past the fielder at leg-gully for a couple.

Big lbw appeal from McKay when Pietersen decides against offering a shot. Aleem Dar isn't sure the ball did enough and shakes his head. A clip through square-leg brings a single. McKay loses his accuracy and Wade fails to collect the ball to his right, So England are gifted five extras when the ball races to the rope. Trott guides a run through third-man. Pietersen swings wildly outside off-stump but he can't find the ball with his bat.

Trott shuffles across his crease to work Johnson behind square on the leg-side for two. There's definitely some movement for the bowler and he causes some problems for Trott, but he also gets it wrong again to be punished for another wide. Trott gets off strike with a push to mid-off. Four from the over. Pietersen 6 Trott 6

Johnson does well to prevent a boundary when Trott edges the ball through third-man for a couple. The Warwickshire batsman adds two more with a clip through square-leg. Pietersen is given the strike following a single behind point but there's no more runs on offer in the over.

Trott finds a single early in Johnson's over.

Big wicket! Pietersen attempts the pull shot but he's hurried by the extra pace from Johnson and can only spoon the ball to Bailey, who takes a simple catch just in front of square on the leg-side. Great start for the tourists.

Joe Root walks out to the middle with England in a bit of trouble. It's important he builds a partnership with Trott now. The Test opener gets off the mark with a single through third-man. Excellent over from Johnson.

Root sits back to guide a run through third-man. Trott goes after the ball outside off-stump and picks up a single with an edge. McKay is doing just enough to put some doubt in the batsman's mind. Root opens the face of the bat to earn two more through third-man. McKay delivers a beauty to beat the outside edge at the end of the over.

Johnson pushes the ball across Trott to invite a shot outside off-stump but there's no edge. DECISION OVERTURNED! Trott is given out lbw when he plays across the line. He decides to review the decision after a discussion with Root. The ball would have crashed into the stumps but Hawkeye shows that it did pitch outside leg-stump. Good use of the review system. Could that be a big moment in this innings? It's another very good over. Two runs scored. Trott 15 Root 4

Root collects a single early in the over. McKay can't stop a firm straight drive from Trott and the batsman hurries a run. No great pace from the seamer but his accuracy is a big weapon in these early overs. Just one over left in the powerplay.

Trott is forced to duck when Johnson fires in a great bouncer, with Matthew Wade feeling the pace behind the stumps too. A clip through square-leg by Trott goes for four to bring England only their second boundary. REVIEW! Trott is once again helped out by DRS. Clarke reviews when the umpire refuses to give the batsman out lbw. It looks very close but Hawkeye sticks with the umpire on the subject of impact. The bowler follows that disappointment by striking the helmet with another excellent bouncer. Trott ends the over positively by lofting four more runs over square-leg. Unlucky couple of overs for Johnson, who deserves another wicket.

Australia have now lost their review. Josh Hazlewood is preparing to come into the attack for the first time.

Shot! Root drives a full delivery straight down the ground and the outfield is just about quick enough to give the batsman four runs. Hazlewood goes slightly wider to invite another drive but Root picks out the fielder on this occasion. It's a steady start from the seamer, with just one more run being scored by Root. Trott 24 Root 10

Faulkner is into the attack to replace Johnson. Root nudges the ball into the leg-side for one. Trott is eager to get across his stumps to Faulkner and he's much more comfortable against Faulkner's pace. Two runs are collected through mid-wicket. Don't shoot the messenger, but I think rain could be on the way.

Hazlewood is bowling a very full length to Root, who can sometimes be punished for his eagerness to remain on the back foot. The Yorkshire ace takes advantage of a slightly shorter delivery later in the over to earn a run through third-man. Just one run from the over. The ground staff are looking nervous. They usually know best.

Clarke knows the rain is coming too and he turns to Adam Voges, the spinner, as Australia look to rush through some overs. Remember, we need to see 20 overs per side for a game.

Clarke gets a reward for turning to the spinner. Root will be disappointed with this dismissal. The batsman is caught in two minds and he prods the ball straight back to Voges, who takes an easy catch. England in real trouble now.

Skipper Morgan comes to the crease and immediately gets off the mark with a single on the leg-side. Trott adds another run to long-on. Two runs and a wicket from the over. Great start for Voges.

Clarke brings himself into the attack as Australia look to get past that 20-over mark. Trott pushes a single through point. Morgan drops to one knee to paddle sweep the spinner away for two before adding another through mid-wicket. Decent start for Clarke. Time for a drinks break. Trott 28 Morgan 4

England are under big pressure at the moment. The rain could be on its way soon and England would be in a bad position if the game is reduced. Australia have been excellent so far.

RAIN STOPS PLAY: Voges can only bowl one delivery of a new over before the umpires decide that the rain is too heavy. The players head off the field. Hopefully they will be back.

What is it about Edgbaston? The rain is threatening to ruin another day at an excellent cricket ground. A reminder that both sides must bat for 20 overs to constitute a game.

Clarke will be disappointed to see the rain arrive so early with his side in a good position. This ODI series is very important to Australia following the loss in the Ashes.

Australia are in complete control at the moment. Trott, currently unbeaten on 28, has offered some resistance but he's also struggled out there. Johnson, in particular, was superb during his opening spell.

It's been another bad day for Michael Carberry. I think the run-out was probably Pietersen's fault, with a single looking very unlikely at the time. He'll get another chance to impress in this series but he needs a score soon.

Plenty of umbrellas up at Edgbaston. Everyone knew the forecast today. There's a chance this delay could be a long one but the supporters, I'm sure, will remain patient.

I've had a look at the most recent forecast and it suggests that this rain could be here to stay for a few hours. If that's the case, then this match will probably be abandoned. We can't always trust the forecast though, can we?

If you do trust the weatherman, the rain could be around for four hours. We still need to fit in at least 24.5 overs to see a game today.

Australia lead the series 1-0 at the moment, so an abandoned game would mean England need to win the final two matches to record a series triumph. However, Australia will want this game to be completed following the start that they made with the ball.

The rain looks like it could be here for a while, so we're going to have a break for around 30 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on the page and hopefully I'll return with better news.

Welcome back everyone. Guess what? It's still raining at Edgbaston. The players are inside looking out at the grey clouds and the forecast is being proved right at the moment.

Some supporters have paid as much as £75 for a ticket today. As far as I know, they will get some kind of refund but it's frustrating for all of those that have turned out.

If you missed any of the action before the rain intervened, the game situation is currently this: Australia won the toss and elected to bowl first. Carberry was run out in the first over and Pietersen was dismissed by Johnson a few overs later. Root was caught and bowled by Voges shortly before rain stopped play to leave England on 59-3 from 15.1 overs. Trott (28) and Morgan (5) are the unbeaten men in the middle.

I'm not sure what the deadline is for the resumption of play. An uninterrupted match probably would have finished at around 9.30pm but I think we can go on a bit longer than that. All of that depends on whether the rain stops, of course.

I've already mentioned the promising form of Mitchell Johnson. Is he putting himself in contention for the first Ashes Test down under? There's plenty of seamers vying for that spot but if Johnson continues this run, he might be favourite.

I would guess that Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris will definitely be in the side for that first Test in Brisbane on November 21. It's probably a safe bet to assume that Australia will offer a greater challenge than they did this summer.

I've just found out that the latest the game can resume tonight is 8.20pm. That will only happen if the rain stops and the umpires are happy that the playing conditions are dry. I think we would need the rain to stop by 7.15pm for that to be the case. Keep your fingers crossed.

So, there's a chance that we could see a T20 game but I'm not convinced that the rain will stay away for long enough. Apologies for the negative attitude, but it's Edgbaston in September.

There's not many England heroes left from the 2005 Ashes series anymore still playing. Matthew Hoggard became the latest member of that squad to retire from professional cricket. Steve Harmison is also set to retire at the end of the county season. Who would have thought that Simon Jones would be the final active bowler left from that brilliant attack?

The rain could be gone by 7.30pm, according to the latest forecast I have seen but some showers could follow later on. Frustrating times for all at Edgbaston.

When the broadcaster begins to show highlights of a game from 2003, you know there's trouble. I mentioned earlier that a shortened game will not help England due to their poor start to the match. The Duckworth/Lewis method will favour Australia right now.

If this game gets underway and England are beaten, will there be changes for the next ODI? It's all guesswork at the moment but a series loss would take the shine off a very positive summer.

It's all looking good for Australia at the moment. They're showing that they can perform well in this format despite their poor display in the Champions Trophy.

If we do end up seeing a T20 match, England will have to launch a big attack in the 4.5 overs remaining in their innings. Australia will face a revised target but England need to make the task as difficult as possible.

It doesn't look like we're going to see cricket anytime soon, so let's have a look at which England players will be targeting a spot on the plane to Australia this winter.

BOYD RANKIN: Plenty of people have suggested that the reason for the changes to the ODI squad has been for a number of fringe players to prove their worth for this winter's Ashes. Rankin has looked promising in his first two ODI games and his ability to get bounce would help on the Australian pitches. Could he make the step up to Test level?

STEVEN FINN: The Middlesex pace bowler was occupying one of the fats bowling spots at the start of the summer but the selectors soon lost patience with his inconsistent form. Finn enjoyed success in the last series down under but questions remain over his rhythm and confidence. On his day he can be brilliant but can he recapture that form?

MICHAEL CARBERRY: I spoke earlier about the opener's need for runs in this series. The selectors probably have him in mind for all formats because he's proven he can score runs in any situation for Hampshire. England will want to have options in Australia but he must make a statement to book his spot on the plane.

JAMES TAYLOR & JONNY BAIRSTOW: It could be a contest for one spot between these two. Taylor seems to score runs when he wants for Nottinghamshire but he hasn't appeared in a Test shirt since last year's series against South Africa. His quality is obvious but it would be a risk to recall him for the Ashes. Bairstow has had chances and it's been clear that the selectors do like the Yorkshire ace. Unfortunately he just hasn't scored enough runs but he could be given one more chance in Australia. If he fails again, it could be a long time before he's recalled.

Plenty of options for the England selectors and, in truth, we probably know what the majority of the squad will be. You never know what happens in an Ashes series though, so England need a strong squad.

Want an update from Edgbaston? It's still raining. We're not even close to cricket yet. Remember, 8.20pm is the cut-off for the resumption of play.

Australia will be so frustrated with the weather at the moment. They were in such a strong position before the rain arrived. England might be saved by the weather but the revised playing conditions are going to make things very difficult.

I reckon the rain needs to stop at some point in the next 90 minutes for there to be a chance of this game continuing. If there's another shower after that, it will probably be curtains.

Every time it rains during an ODI match I have the same problem. Everyone in England knew it would rain for a sustained period at Edgbaston today. So why didn't they shorten the match? If only a short shower was expected, then it's fine to take a risk but this way always seems foolish.

There's still some brave spectators inside the ground at Edgbaston. For their sake, I hope we see some play but others have chosen to give up the fight.

One positive for England could be that Morgan will be at the crease if the rain goes away. Morgan is the sort of player you need at the crease for a five-over attack.

I'd love to say the weather has improved but the rain is still steady at Edgbaston. We're losing a lot of overs and the conditions need to get better in the next hour.

The ground staff have recently told reporters at Edgbaston that they will need around an hour to prepare the field for play. They're doing their best at the moment but it's very, very wet in the middle.

This extended break in play gives me a chance to direct you to the other cricket stories making the headlines. Simon Kerigan has claimed that he will prove himself worthy of another chance at Test level following his difficult debut in the Ashes.

It's a story that I've mentioned already but here's the full article about Matthew Hoggard's retirement: Hoggard retires from cricket.

There's not many people left now. The ground staff are still doing their best in the middle but they don't have too much of an audience anymore.

The pressure will be on Morgan if this game is abandoned. They'll need to win the last two matches to earn a series victory. Australia have been in charge though, so that would be a difficult task.

Well, the last few minutes have been incredibly frustrating. The rain had stopped for a few moment but any hopes of a pitch inspection are ruined when the heaviest of showers begins.

I'd say the key time will be 7.30pm. If it's still raining then, I'd expect an announcement from the umpires.

It's not looking good. I think the rain could stop in the next hour but it could be too late by then. Michael Clarke, in particular, will be desperate to get out there.

The umpires are apparently going to have a look at the middle at 7.15pm. It's not stopped raining just yet but they're trying to give themselves the best chance of getting a game in.

I'm guessing that the umpires will either set a time for the resumption of play or abandon the match at that next inspection. Keep those fingers crossed.

So, there's a real possibility that two of the first three matches in this series will be abandoned. You really shouldn't try to play cricket in September. Mind you, I should have stopped in May.

I've just watched Carberry's run-out again. The Hampshire batsman just didn't react. Pietersen's call was a little optimistic but Carberry didn't even give himself a chance.

The umpires are out in the middle. They've all got umbrellas, so there's more chance of the game being abandoned than a chance of it being resumed.

MATCH ABANDONED: That's it. We've known for some time in truth but the umpires have now officially called the game off. Australia remain 1-0 up after three games in this five-match series.