In the third Test at Adelaide, another devastating Travis Head hundred put Australia in an advantageous position, putting them ahead for 356 with two innings and six wickets still in hand as they look to preserve the Ashes with two games to spare.
Another heartbreaking defeat followed in the day-night Test in Brisbane, with England limping to 213-8 on the second night due to a recent breakdown in their batting line against Australia’s 371 runs in the first innings, but they were already facing Adelaide on the third day.
Ben Stokes, 83, led from the front, as he often did during his time as captain, scoring 106 for the ninth wicket with Jofra Archer, 51, and England were at one point threatened with a heavy comeback on the third morning, moving within 85 of Australia.
Brydon Kearse (1-48) then added to the excitement in Australia’s opener before lunch by trapping Jake Weatherald (1lb) in a tricky 20 minutes, while Josh Tan (2-59) easily removed Marnus Labuschagne (13) after the interval.
However, with his batting still in good form, Head (No. 142) scored his 11th Test century, his fourth against England and his fourth in four successive Adelaide Tests, while receiving useful support from Usman Khawaja (40) and Alex Carey (No. 52), who followed up a big first innings half-century after Australia had lost a few early wickets early in the evening session.
Josh Tan celebrates taking the wicket of Cam Green in the bottom of Australia’s second innings
Will Jacks (1-107) took Khawaja and in the next over Tan added Cameron Green (7), whose slip was well caught by Harry Brooke who later capped off a tough chance in gully with a head of 99.
But arguably the damage had already been done by then, with Australia’s lead approaching 300 points, but Head and Carey extended it to 356 points by the end of the match, their unbroken partnership reaching 122 points.
Stokes and Archer give England a fleeting glimmer of hope
Of particular concern to England is the physical strength of their talismanic captain. Stokes continued to bat for much of the second day, struggling in 40-degree heat, but had yet to pitch in Australia’s second innings.
England captain Ben Stokes did not bowl on the third day as Australia built a big lead in the second innings
He and Archer added another 61 runs to their overnight partnership in a good morning session for England, cutting into Australia’s advantage, which had exceeded 200 runs by the time they met at midfield.
Archer hit five boundaries off Nathan Ryan and a brilliant six over deep midwicket from Nathan Ryan to reach his maiden Test fifty. Meanwhile, the more cautious Stokes (his 159-ball 50 was the slowest ever for an English player) hit eight fours and was finally beaten by Mitchell Starc’s beauty (1-61) with the second new ball through the gate.
Archer’s resistance and England’s innings ended soon after, with Scott Borland (3-45) slipping in to pull Archer into an advantageous position.
However, a ball hit by Kearse in the second over of Australia’s second innings nailed Weatherald forward, and the ball was shown to have bowled outside leg stump and should have been reviewed.
England were suddenly in good form going into lunch, but their spirits were further uplifted when Tan claimed Labuschagne’s slip early in the afternoon session – Australia’s lead was 138 at this point.
However, the age of the ball, the absence of Stokes and the lack of a true frontline spinner weakened England’s attacking sharpness, and the hosts gradually began to take matches away from England, with Head in the lead.
Jacks, who have conceded a century in each innings and a massive 212 runs in 39 overs in the Test combine so far, should have broken the 86-run stand between Head and Khawaja for the third wicket, but it was only a drag that the latter somehow fell behind.
Tan dismissed Green in the next over, with Brook taking a brilliant diving catch at slip and England threatening to fight back in a Test match again, but only Head’s brilliant hundred, aided by Brook’s drop at gully for 99, spectacularly pulled the Ashes away from them.
‘England need a miracle to keep the series alive’
Former England captain Nasser Hussain said this on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.
“Australia still have a lot of batsmen and we’re not going to rush them. They have a 2-0 lead and even if they draw here, they’ll still be in the Ashes.
“They want to have a big lead because one of their bowlers (Cummins) is coming back from a few months out with an injury. They want Nathan Ryan to pitch a little bit more curved, so there’s no rush. They’ll try to extend the lead to over 450.”
“What this England team has done well under this system is chase fours, but this is different. This is with the Ashes at stake, so it looks like it will be over 450 points.”
“It’s unlikely. England will need a miracle, but I always believe that a game of cricket – going back to Headingley in 2019 – isn’t over until it’s over, especially in an Ashes series. You fight until the last pitch and England are looking down.”
Ashes Series in Australia 2025-26
Australia leads series 5 games 2-0
