England Face Monumental Chase, Australia Eye Series Win

England’s fight in the current Ashes series has so far lacked intensity, but compared with the first two Tests, the visitors have shown some glimmers of improvement at the Adelaide Oval. For the first time in this series, England have managed to take a Test match into the full five days—a modest but notable step forward.

At the close of the fourth day of the third Test, England were 6 wickets down for 207 runs in their second innings. To secure a victory on the final day, they face an almost herculean task: a further 228 runs with only four wickets remaining. Realistically, the target borders on impossible. Yet, after two successive heavy defeats—the first Test lost inside two days, the second in four—England can at least draw some satisfaction from lasting longer and forcing a fifth-day contest.

For Australia, a win in this match would effectively seal the Ashes series with two Tests still remaining, consolidating their dominant position and marking another historic series triumph.

Australia began the fourth day at 4 wickets for 271 in their second innings, building on the unbroken partnership from the previous evening between Travis Head and Alex Carey, who added a further 40 runs. Head’s magnificent innings of 170 runs came off 16 boundaries and 2 sixes, while Carey contributed 72 runs with 6 boundaries. The lower order added just 38 runs for the remaining 6 wickets, leaving Australia all out for 349. England’s Josh Tong led the bowling with 4 wickets, while Brydon Carse picked up 3 wickets.

Trailing by 85 runs from the first innings, England faced a daunting 435-run target in their second innings. Their response began poorly: Ben Duckett was dismissed in the second over, followed shortly by Ollie Pope, both victims of Pat Cummins’ incisive bowling. A third-wicket stand between Jack Crawley and Joe Root yielded 78 runs, only for Cummins to break the partnership, Root departing for 39 caught behind.

Crawley then added 68 runs in partnership with Harry Brook, with the opener reaching a well-compiled 50 off 102 balls. However, Nathan Lyon produced a spellbinding session, conceding just 8 runs in 5 overs and taking 3 wickets—including Brook bowled for 30, Stokes’ off stump, and Crawley stumped. Carey’s sharp fielding accounted for Lyon’s third dismissal, ending the batsman’s 85-run innings off 151 balls.

In the final 9.3 overs of the day, Jamie Smith and Will Jacks ensured no further damage. Heading into the fifth day, England are left clinging to a near-impossible target, while Australia stand on the brink of a comfortable series-clinching victory.

Key Statistics – Third Test, Adelaide (Fourth Day Close)