Australia’s Travis Head is being congratulated by Usman Khawaja on day 3 of the third Ashes Check in Adelaide on December 19, 2025.
| Photograph Credit score: AP
A harmful Travis Head crunched an unbeaten 68 as Australia constructed an ominous 204-run lead on Friday (December 19, 2025) within the third Check as England’s hopes of salvaging the Ashes slid away.
At tea on day three, the hosts have been 119-2 with Usman Khawaja partnering Head on 27 as they set about piling up a giant complete to place the five-match sequence out of England’s attain.
England misplaced the primary Check at Perth inside two days and the second in Brisbane inside 4, each by eight wickets, and solely victory in Adelaide can save them.
Australia suffered an early setback in a tense 20 minutes earlier than lunch after England have been all out for 286 on the again of Ben Stokes’ gritty 83 in response to Australia’s first innings 371.
Bryson Carse trapped Jake Weatherald lbw for one and he walked with out reviewing after the umpire lifted his finger, though replays confirmed the ball was pitching exterior leg stump.
After the break, a busy Head started slicing and chopping boundaries to all corners of the bottom, reviving recollections of his match-winning 123 in Perth.
Marnus Labuschagne had a fright on eight when England made an enormous enchantment for caught behind, however the third umpire dominated there was a niche between bat and ball.
He had no such luck on 13 when he edged Josh Tongue to Harry Brook at slip, with critiques displaying it carried.
Khawaja, who hit a defiant 82 within the first innings after his last-minute call-up for the in poor health Steve Smith, was once more composed and an ideal foil for the extra aggressive Head.
After a woeful batting show on Thursday, Stokes and Jofra Archer saved England’s goals alive with a stirring 106-run ninth-wicket stand.
They resumed at 213-8 in overcast and muggy circumstances with Stokes not out 45 and Archer on 30.
Stokes, who suffered leg cramps and dehydration throughout his gutsy rearguard motion in sweltering 40 Celsius warmth on Thursday, introduced up his slowest ever 50 in Checks, off 159 balls.
He saved plugging away however lastly fell when Mitchell Starc took the brand new ball and bowled him, with Stokes one of many few gamers who confirmed the battle he had demanded earlier than the sport.
Archer was one other, ably supporting his captain.
The quick bowler was the final man out when caught by Labuschagne off Scott Boland for 51 — his highest Check rating and a maiden half-century
Boland ended with 3-45 whereas Pat Cummins took 3-69 in his first Check since July after decrease again points.
England’s woes started when openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, together with the under-performing Ollie Pope, departed in a 15-ball blitz on Thursday by the hands of Cummins and Nathan Lyon.
Harry Brook confirmed some resistance with 45, however the Australian assault was relentless.
Revealed – December 19, 2025 10:12 am IST
