Australia confirmed their supremacy in the Ashes with a commanding 82-run win over England in the third Test at Adelaide Oval, taking a 3-0 series lead and securing retention of the coveted urn. Despite a valiant display from the visiting team, including some fighting knocks from Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, and Brydon Carse, the home side’s tactical precision and disciplined bowling proved too formidable.
England resumed the final day of the match at 207 for six, chasing a mammoth 435. Smith and Carse initially absorbed pressure, with Smith taking the attack to Australia’s bowlers, hitting several boundaries off Lyon and Cameron Green, including impressive sixes. The duo’s resistance pushed England past 250, demonstrating fight and resilience, despite rain interruptions threatening momentum.
Smith’s dismissal for 60 ended a 90-run partnership that had held England in contention. Jacks and Carse carried the fight forward, showing composure against the high-quality Australian pace attack. However, Mitchell Starc soon dismantled the lower order, with his third wicket, Jacks, falling to a breathtaking one-handed catch from Labuschagne. Boland and Green made further inroads, leaving England all out for 352.
Australia’s innings had been anchored by Alex Carey’s century and Usman Khawaja’s 82, enabling the hosts to recover from 94 for 4 to post 371. Starc’s 54 and Archer’s bowling heroics had kept England on the back foot. England’s first innings saw a spirited response from Stokes (83) and Archer (51), but the side collapsed to 286, setting up another challenging scenario in the fourth innings.
Travis Head’s 170 and Carey’s 72 in the second innings set England a near-impossible chase. Despite Crawley’s 85 and the lower-order resistance, England never built significant partnerships to challenge Australia’s dominance. The victory not only sealed the Ashes but also reinforced Australia’s home dominance, marking their fourth consecutive home series win in Ashes history.
Brief Scores: Australia 371 & 349 beat England 286 & 352 by 82 runs.