A dominant Australian bowling unit has left England’s Ashes campaign in tatters, systematically dismantling the tourists’ batting lineup on a punishing day in Adelaide. Despite sweltering conditions, the hosts’ disciplined attack restricted England to 213 for eight at stumps, a deficit of 158 runs that leaves the series poised for a decisive Australian victory.
The narrative of the day was one of stark contrast. While England’s bowlers, led by Jofra Archer’s five-wicket haul, wrapped up the Australian tail in the morning, their batsmen failed utterly to capitalise. Facing a refreshed Pat Cummins and a returning Nathan Lyon, England’s top order collapsed, losing three wickets for just five runs in a devastating spell before lunch.
Cummins, showing no signs of a lengthy layoff, set the tone with a probing line that accounted for key wickets. Lyon’s impact was immediate and historic, surpassing a major career wicket milestone while bamboozling England’s middle order. His control and economy stood in sharp relief to the tourists’ own spin options, highlighting a significant gap between the sides.
England’s innings was a story of brief resistance followed by swift collapse. A partnership between Ben Stokes and Harry Brook offered fleeting hope, but once broken, the lower order folded. The session was further marred by contentious umpiring reviews, with both sides expressing visible frustration over perceived inconsistencies in the decision-review technology.
Stokes remained unbeaten at the close, a defiant but lonely figure after a blow to the helmet and hours of gruelling resistance. His unbroken stand with Archer spared England the immediate threat of a follow-on, but it did little to obscure the broader picture.
With only two wickets remaining and a massive deficit, England’s chances of salvaging the Test, let alone the series, have all but evaporated. The day belonged unequivocally to Australia, whose bowlers executed a masterclass in pressure, leaving England’s Ashes hopes melting away under the relentless Adelaide sun.