Australia Dominate Adelaide Test, Close in on Ashes Retention vs England

Australia tightened their grip on the Ashes after a dominant Day 4 performance in the third Test at the Ashes at the Adelaide Oval, leaving England staring at defeat and the likely loss of the urn.

At stumps, England were 207 for 6 in their fourth innings, still requiring an improbable 228 runs with only four wickets remaining. Australia are just four wickets away from winning the Test and sealing the five-match series with two games to spare.

The turning point came in the evening session when veteran spinner Nathan Lyon produced a decisive three-wicket burst. Lyon removed Harry Brook, captain Ben Stokes, and Zak Crawley in quick succession, dismantling England’s middle order and halting a promising chase.

England had briefly raised hopes after Crawley (85) and Brook (30) added 68 runs, lifting the score from 109 for 3 to 177. But Lyon’s spell yielded three wickets for just eight runs, swinging momentum firmly back in Australia’s favour. Stokes was bowled for five, misjudging a sharply turning delivery that clipped his off stump.

Earlier in the day, Australian captain Pat Cummins made a strong impact on his return to the side after missing the first two Tests with a back injury. Cummins dismissed Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope before removing Joe Root, marking the 13th time he has dismissed the former England captain in Test cricket.

Australia were bowled out for 349 in their second innings, setting England a target of 435 — which would require a world-record chase to win. Travis Head top-scored with 170, sharing a crucial partnership with Alex Carey before England triggered a late collapse.

Despite England showing resilience for much of Day 4, the scale of the target and Australia’s relentless bowling attack have left the visitors on the brink. The highest successful fourth-innings chase in Test history remains West Indies’ 418 against Australia in 2003.

With Australia needing only a draw to retain the Ashes and now firmly positioned for victory, England will require something extraordinary on the final day to keep the series alive.