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Ben Stokes (left), the England captain, shakes hands with his Australian counterpart Pat Cummins following the third Test - Getty Images/William West
The grey, murky clouds that shrouded the Adelaide Oval on Sunday morning provided a fitting start to a day when England’s Ashes dream died.
The skies matched the mood as a campaign that promised so much was over as a contest before it had barely begun with Australia retaining the Ashes in 11 days of action after an 82 run victory in the third Test.
The fact England put up some resistance and took the game beyond lunch gives them something to build on in two dead rubbers but also adds to the frustration. Credit to Jamie Smith and Will Jacks for restoring some pride but to see England score 352 in the second innings and bat for 102 overs was just too little too late. If only they had been ready for battle and turned up sooner in the series. The result of this Test was not really in doubt after lunch on day two when England were 71 for four in reply to Australia’s 371. The rest has been window dressing.
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When England fell to 71 for four on day two, the Test and the Ashes were essentially lost - AFP/WILLIAM WEST
Australia have dismantled the concept of Bazball and their mental hold over English cricketers is stronger than ever before.
An England team that loves to talk up its ability to create history will go down as yet another bunch who crumbled when faced with the challenge of winning in Australia. Bazball was fun while it lasted but it amounted to nothing of substance when it mattered in series against Australia and India.
Of all the away Ashes defeats this century, this one is the lamest because England had the talent to win and a method they believed in. But good cricketers badly underperformed because they were underprepared, which is unforgivable.
Rob Key, the director of cricket, and Brendon McCullum, the head coach, are the two most accountable because this has been a failure of planning and professionalism, not talent. Key is due to speak to the media at the MCG on Tuesday. He shouldered the blame for the 2023 World Cup debacle, and his explanation for this state of affairs will be revealing.
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Rob Key and Brendon McCullum are in the line of fire for their responsibility for this Ashes defeat - PA/Robbie Stephenson
The lackadaisical approach to warm-up matches and general preparation meant England were just not ready, or clued up enough, for the harshness of Test cricket in Australia from the pitches to the media intrusion and the competitiveness of their opponents.
For five out of the last six away Ashes series, England have been hammered by better Australian teams. There was no shame in losing to the great Australian side of the early 2000s, who won 4-1 in 2002-03 and 5-0 four years later.
Mitchell Johnson was too good in 2013-14 and Joe Root’s side in 2017-18 came up against the young Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood and was also robbed of its best player in Stokes. The Covid tour of four years ago was an impossible task and England were a poor team anyway.
But this time Australia are an ageing side and never been at full strength with Cummins missing two Tests, Hazlewood the entire series and Steve Smith a late withdrawal in Adelaide. The sight of Nathan Lyon hobbling off with a hamstring injury on day five showed what could have happened if England had put them under more pressure and run them harder for longer.
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Nathan Lyon takes England’s congratulations on crutches having hobbled out of day five of the Test and probably the series - Reuters/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake
Stokes’s team talk before this Test was, “We win the game, we win the Ashes” and there were signs of progress with this their highest match aggregate of 638 runs in Australia since 2010-11 and contributions from Zak Crawley, Smith and Jacks after Stokes had set the tone with his battling 83 in the first innings.
But one glance at the averages tells the story: five of England’s top seven are coming in below 29 and of those Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope look totally lost, their techniques and minds scrambled. When you look at the squad, there are so few ways to turn. Jacob Bethell is the only spare batsman and he has barely played cricket this year.
Scott Boland took the Ashes clinching wicket when Josh Tongue edged to slip at just after 2.10pm and the mind flicked back to the end of day one in Perth when his bowling had been ineffective, costing 6.2 an over, and he looked over the hill.
England were so close to opening up cracks and divisions in this Australian team at effectively 100 for one at lunch on day two in Perth. But Boland capitalised on infantile aggressive shots to take four 33 and for England to throw away the first Test like they did will haunt some for a very long time. History shows successful England teams have to start well in Australia. To become the first to lose an Ashes Test in Australia inside two days was a mortal blow from which they could never recover.
Now they have to salvage something from the tour. Ending the 15-year drought for a Test victory in Australia would be something to take into the next series in 2027 but this team does not have a good record when it comes to dead rubbers. Admittedly, they usually lose those once they have wrapped up a series and celebrated a touch too hard. This time they cannot afford to drown their sorrows and wallow in self pity. If they do, it will be 5-0.
At least Smith showed he can play in Australia with 60 from 83 balls and solved one problem. He keeps his place for the series meaning Pope is dropped for the fourth Test rather than given a reprieve as a batsman-keeper.
Overnight England were 207 for six, needing another 228 to win and Smith relished the task. He and his Surrey team-mate, Jacks, bedded in cautiously content to pick up the singles. A 40 minute rain break gave them time to reflect and Smith upped his scoring as his fifty approached. He stroked four fours in a row as the second new ball pinged off the bat hard but he fell going for a fifth big hit, skying a catch off Starc to mid-on, ending a stand of 91 with Jacks. It summed up so much. He could not resist the rush of blood.
Carse and Jacks added another 52 but it was Starc again who prised out another wicket. Jacks slumped in disbelief when Marnus Labuschagne took a second worldie of a slip catch in the innings, diving to his left to gobble up the chance.
Boland was swamped by his team-mates when he dismissed Tongue and Australia had knocked England over on the last day without a contribution from their captain, Cummins. He was immense on day four dismissing Joe Root, Duckett and Pope but he was not fully fit and the back looks sore. He may not play in Melbourne and with Lyon crocked as well it just adds to that sense of what might have been had England been a lot savvier.
04:30am
The end of England’s Ashes dream
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England captain Ben Stokes congratulates his opposite number Pat Cummins. - WILLIAM WEST/AFP
04:21am
Scyld Berry’s England player ratings
Ben Duckett
29 and 4
Forecasts that his technique would stand up in Australia have not been fulfilled as he has yet to reach 30. An Australian team might give him a game as a No 6 but far too quirky to be an opener. And having failed so often, his brain scrambled, not knowing whether to play his normal game or not, he played the worst of dabs in his second innings. All the talking between Tests – instead of playing cricket and working out things in the middle – has probably made him even more indecisive. 3/10
Read more...
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Ben Duckett has had a difficult series. - JOEL CARRETT/Shutterstock
04:19am
Bazball has failed and Brendon McCullum must go
By Sir Geoffrey Boycott
A lot of credit should go to Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes for what they have done for our cricket but it is obvious that Bazball has run its race.
Hubris has taken over from common sense and that cannot be allowed to carry on. Stokes and McCullum are like men digging a hole to nowhere. If what you are doing isn’t working then stop digging. Change is absolutely necessary to step up to the next level. What would I do? Change the coach. We are tired of this duo talking a good game but not delivering against the best teams so Rob Key, it is time for you to assert yourself.
I would also sit down with Stokes and find out if he will compromise on his approach to batting and be prepared to embrace new ideas. As a world-class all-rounder, England need him on board because he affects the balance of the team. You do not want to lose him, but if he doesn’t see that a change of attitude is needed then you have to find a new captain.
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Brendon McCullum reflects on England’s Ashes defeat. - Gareth Copley/Getty Images
04:18am
Brendon McCullum’s reaction
04:11am
Pat Cummins wins second successive home Ashes series as captain
04:09am
Ben Stokes at the presentations
04:02am
Alex Carey is named man of the match
03:52am
Wonderful Christmastime
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03:52am
Mitchell Starc talks to Isa Guha
03:47am
England’s players come on to the field
And they line up to shake the hands of the Australians. After that, they walk over to the Barmy Army who applaud them.
03:42amWickets
Australia retain the Ashes
Tongue c Labuschagne b Boland 1 Boland gets his just deserts, nicking off England’s No 11. Australia win by 82 runs.
03:41am
OVER 102: ENG 351/9 (Carse 38 Tongue 1)
The end, much later than we feared, is nigh. Tongue gets off the mark with a flick off Starc’s inswinger through midwicket, Cares pinches the strike with a drive out to the cover sweeper. Starc even gets a wicket with a rare pie. Boland, who doesn’t bowl pies, by contrast has no wickets. But he scrambles minds with relentless interrogation.
03:35amWickets
Wicket!
Archer c Weatherald v Starc 3 Short and wide from Starc, the ball was there to be hit. Archer takes on the uppercut and slices it straight to the sweeper. Could he have hit that down? Yes. Could he have left it? Yes. But it was asking to be hit. FOW 349/9
England are NINE down as Archer goes for 3
Watch #TheAshes LIVE on TNT Sports and discovery+ pic.twitter.com/AblJ3qNNHs
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) December 21, 2025
03:34am
OVER 101: ENG 349/8 (Carse 37 Archer 3)
Relentlessly Boland pounds away on that good length. You could put a handkerchief and it would cover where he lands 80 per cent of his deliveries. He finds Archer’s edge but Carey, up to the stumps, for once, can’t cling on. Would have been regulation standing back, which is what he does now. Labuschagne appeals for leg-before for one that would have cleared middle by six inches, Archer strolls a leg-bye.
Whatever happens and we know what will happen because we can’t have nice things in Australia, England’s Nos 7, 8, 9 and 10 have done themselves proud today and offer glimpses of how they may at least win a Test in Australia, if not this one.
03:29am
OVER 100: ENG 347/8 (Carse 36 Archer 3)
Carse again rides the extra bounce, this time from Starc, and steers it down for a single. Archer opens the face to glide another down to third man and Carse takes the strike by tucking a single off his hip. Eighty-eight to get.
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Jacks’ exasperation is palpable - Getty Images/Robert Cianflone
03:24am
OVER 99: ENG 344/8 (Carse 34 Archer 2)
Green, of all people, drops a catch at second slip when Carse pushes with hard hands. The slips are preposterously close but he got his left hand to it and tipped it round the post for four. Boland’s last ball pops off a good length but Carse manages to fend it away off the splice into the offside for a single.
03:18am
OVER 98: ENG 338/8 (Carse 29 Archer 1)
After all that tamping, Starc comes round the wicket to Jacks, swinging it in to the right-hander who defends the first and then cannot resist going at the second. It was there to drive but nipped away. A multiple matchwinning bowler pulls another rabbit out of his magic hat. After Archer slaps a cut for a single, he finds Carse’s edge, too, but the ball falls short between Carey and Labuschagne.
03:14amWickets
Wicket!
Jacks c Labuschagne b Starc 47 Another sensational grab at slip by Labuschagne as Jacks is done by the wobble seam from round the wicket, invited to square drive, he takes it on and nicks it hard to slip who dives low to his left. FOW 337/8
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03:12am
OVER 97: ENG 337/7 (Jacks 47 Carse 29)
Boland replaces Cummins and Carey comes up to the stumps. Boland keeps peppering that length of his and beats Carse outside off then gets one to pop up and hit the splice. Carse holds his line as does Boland and Carey whips off the bails, having beaten him the ball before. Carse defends the next. This is both hugely enjoyable and hugely nerve-racking to be watching this.
Carse reduces the target to two figures when Boland loses his line and tickles it fine for four. That’s the fifty partnership, too.
Starc is coming back on. But first some more tamping of the crease. He’s coming on from the City End because he’s been warned at the other end twice.
03:07am
OVER 96: ENG 333/7 (Jacks 47 Carse 25)
Blimey! Carse steps across towards the offside and slog sweeps Head for a towering six over square leg. And having done that they milk him for three more singles to reduce the deficit to 102, reaching triple Nelson, three eyes, three arms, three a--------. Freak.
03:04am
OVER 95: ENG 324/7 (Jacks 46 Carse 17)
Can England see off this Cummins spell? He gets one to hit something on the pitch, leap on Carse and smashes into his right hand. He’s going straight, pushing him back intermittently with hair-raising bouncers. The huge inswinger hits Carse on the thighpad and flies through the slips for three. Jacks keeps out the last three with a straight bat.
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Carse and Jacks have put on 39 so far - PA/Robbie Stephenson
03:00am
OVER 94: ENG 321/7 (Jacks 46 Carse 17)
England continue to milk Head, gleaning four singles, Jacks both sides of the wicket with a flick and a drive, Carse’s two comfortably driven down the ground off the back foot.
02:57am
OVER 93: ENG 317/7 (Jacks 43 Carse 15)
Nitin Menon loses his hat in the breeze and loses his mind to give Carse out to a hooping inswinger that was missing leg by a half a yard. That yorker is going to be his weapon. Earlier in the over Jacks got a scratch on one to knock it into his legs and away for a single.
02:55am
NOT OUT
No bat but missing leg.
02:55am
England review
Carse lbw b Cummins Bat?
02:54am
OVER 92: ENG 316/7 (Jacks 43 Carse 15)
Loads of singles on offer as Cummins spreads his field and they pick Head off for three of them, Jacks’ two though cover and stroked down to long-on, Carse’s laced to cover, too.
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Travis Head, in the absence of Nathan Lyon, has work to do - Getty Images/Robert Cianflone
02:50am
OVER 91: ENG 313/7 (Jacks 41 Carse 14)
Cares uses his wrists to steer a single down through third man, Jacks works the Australian captain’s straight one for two through square leg and then Jacks, with Pinball Wizard wrists, manipulates one from outside off through midwicket for a single.
Head now becomes Australia’s No 1 spinner and is given the ball to show what he can do.
02:45am
Cummins to continue
Carse on strike.
02:14am
Listen
02:08am
Lunch verdict
A 40-minute rain break and some determined batting from Jamie Smith and Will Jacks extended the third Test into an unexpected afternoon session on day five, delaying Australia’s Ashes celebrations.
Smith solved one problem for the rest of the series by playing his best innings in Australia and giving a glimpse of his talent before he got carried away after hitting four fours in a row and skied to mid on. Jacks, for the second Test running, has prized his wicket highly and defended stoutly. He may not be a Test spinner but there is a cricketer there to develop.
Nathan Lyon left the ground with a hamstring injury and his series looks over but not before he had a decisive say in the England second innings landing three big wickets on day four.
England need another 126 to win with Carse and Jacks at the crease and three wickets left. A bit of pride has been restored this morning but will count for nothing, barring a miracle.
02:07am
LUNCH: ENG 309/7
England’s morning, putting on 102 for the loss of one wicket. They require 126 but only have three wickets left. And the overwhelming emotion, hope, yes, but also wistful regret at what might have been with Nathan Lyon out of the match if only they had one of the men he dismissed yesterday, Crawley, Brook or Stokes, still around.
02:05am
OVER 90: ENG 309/7 (Jacks 38 Carse 13)
Late swing for Boland as Jacks leaves the ball and it zooms past his bat towards the keeper’s left. That’s usually a New Road in May type of ball. Jacks plays two solid forward defensives. Carey calls for the helmet and stands up to the stumps. Jacks defends the penultimate ball of the extended opening session and keeps out the last to walk off for lunch with England’s hopes still alive. Clinging on by the fingernails.
02:01am
OVER 89: ENG 309/7 (Jacks 38 Carse 13)
Cummins changes ends to replace Starc who has been bothered by a pothole in his landing zone. This is a terrific over, jagging the first into Jacks’ thighpad and two balls later beating him with outswinger. Sandwiched between those two, Jacks has a brainfreeze, walks across his crease and tries to swipe a ball through midwicket. He ends up square on and the ball in the keeper’s hands.
Jacks manages to get off strike with a flick down to long leg but had he missed it he would have been plumb and then Carse lifts his hands out of the road of the last ball.
Bah! The umpires say they can squeeze one more over in. Jacks needs a break.
01:57am
OVER 88: ENG 308/7 (Jacks 37 Carse 13)
Scott ‘Barrel’ Boland replaces Cummins and hits his area, his ‘shoebox’ on a good length. He beats Carse with the first ball as the batsman has an injudicious fiddle down the corridor. But then he finds his bearings and defends and/or leaves the following five. That’s Starc’s fourth maiden.
One over before lunch.
01:53am
Lyon update
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01:52am
OVER 87: ENG 308/7 (Jacks 37 Carse 13)
Starc drops one a tad too short outside off and Carse plays one of the shots of the match, a back-foot cover drive for four. Starc, bothered by the wind and the litter in its wake, twice pulls out at the crease before delivering the ball. Carse defends stoutly, leaves one alone and then plays a square drive, bending the back knee to reach it, for a single.
England have put on 101 for the loss of one wicket this morning. If only they had more left in the hutch.
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Pat Cummins gives it the big ’un after catching Jamie Smith - Getty Images/Darrian Traynor
01:46am
OVER 86: ENG 303/7 (Jacks 37 Carse 8)
Jacks opens the face to glide a single behind point off Cummins, Carse fends one off the splice for another and then Jacks, after being beaten by a replica of the ball that did for Root but unlike Root went fishing with no catch, pulls Cummins for four to bring up the 300 and reduce the target to 132.
01:44am
OVER 85: ENG 297/7 (Jacks 32 Carse 7)
Starc sets up Carse in the usual manner, across, across, then the inswinger that does indeed pin him but too high and they run two leg byes. Given too much width, Carse nails a cover drive for four then goes again, not quite so meatily but still gets it through the infield for two.
01:38am
NOT OUT
Going over middle stump.
01:38am
Australia review
Carse lbw b Starc Height?
01:36am
OVER 84: ENG 289/7 (Jacks 32 Carse 1)
Jacks works Cummins off middle through midwicket for two and tucks a single off his body. Carse is unsteady when his ribs are targeted, as are most of us, and he flaps at the nip-backer that climbs towards his chest but fends it over short leg to get off the mark.
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01:32am
OVER 83: ENG 285/7 (Jacks 29 Carse 0)
A glorious leg-glance, a golden cover drive both bring fours and then he goes again, trying to send it into orbit with an ugly wipe across the line. He got the height but not the distance. The partnership, which has taken England to 150 away from their target, is broken at 91. As Swann says, go over mid-off to that line, not mid-on if you have to.
01:27amWickets
Wicket!
Smith c Cummins b Starc 60 Got giddy after successive fours in the previous over and two more in this, throws his hands, trying to slog Starc over midwicket and sends it up the chimney at wide mid-on. FOW 285/7
Jamie Smith is OUT
He goes for a fifth successive boundary but gets out in the process...
Watch #TheAshes LIVE on TNT Sports and discovery+ pic.twitter.com/ZlQKvW2j8u
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) December 21, 2025
01:24am
OVER 82: ENG 276/6 (Smith 50 Jacks 28)
Cummins has two slips and a gully. Labuschagne is very close at second slip, the position from which he pulled off that screamer to send Pope back last night but it comes with its dangers too. Smith defends four then, given width, nails a glorious cover drive for four. The next stroke to the next ball is audacity personified, taking a big stride and launching it on the up over the bowler for four. That’s his half-century.
01:20am
OVER 81: ENG 268/6 (Smith 44 Jacks 28)
Smith drives Starc through point for a single when the great left-arm quick fires one across his bows. He sets Jacks up with two across him, wobble seam, and then nips one back through the gate, whooshing past his splice and box, whistling past off-stump. The last ball is another inswinger but starts wider and Jacks leaves on line and length.
Cummins will share the new ball, naturally.
01:17am
OVER 80: ENG 267/6 (Smith 43 Jacks 28)
Smith cashes in off the last over before the new ball by creaming a cover drive off Head when he overpitches followed, next ball, by coming down the track to lever a drive over the bowler and straight down the ground for another four.
Mitchell Starc takes the new ball as soon as it becomes available.
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01:12am
OVER 79: ENG 257/6 (Smith 34 Jacks 27)
Labuschagne, who can bowl wrist-spin and seam up dobbers, opts for legbreaks. He gives it a tweak and gets some turn. Jacks leans back to slap a single through point, Smith drives for one and, when given the strike back, scythes a long hop for four square of the cover point sweeper.
One over to go before the new ball.
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Nathan Lyon is led off by the physio after pinging his hamstring - Getty Images/Robert Cianflone
01:08am
OVER 78: ENG 250/6 (Smith 29 Jacks 25)
Head replaces Lyon and Jacks takes him for the single, worked across the line down to long-on, to bring up England’s 250.
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01:06am
OVER 77: ENG 249/6 (Smith 29 Jacks 24)
Jacks refuses to take on Green’s short ball if it bounces above waist high so after a few goes Green has to resort to going fuller and Smith steers him for a single through point.
Smith does take it on, pulls it fine and Lyon races round the rope to stop it and pings his hamstring in the process. He signals for a sub and hops off the field. Smith ran two.
01:03am
OVER 76: ENG 246/6 (Smith 27 Jacks 23)
The Surrey batsmen, Jacks of Chertsey and Smith of Epsom bring up their half-century partnership when Jacks hops back to dab a single down to point. Smith keeps it ticking over with a handsome back-foot drive for two through cover. Cummins, who didn’t bowl in the last two hours of the evening session, chases after it with no sign of stiffness.
A welcome shower:
The players are heading off the field️#Ashespic.twitter.com/8RrAvFpWh0
— England's Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) December 21, 2025
12:58am
OVER 75: ENG 243/6 (Smith 25 Jacks 22)
Green to continue. It’s in two parts but this is his longest spell since surgery. He sticks to a fuller length to Jacks who defends until he’s given width and he whizzes through a pull for a single.
Smith duck-hooks a pull for no run off a no-ball so Green will have another go at him. Smith defends that one with better poise, off the back foot, blade true.
Revised playing conditions: Lunch will now be at 2am (afternoon session at 2.40am and tea at 4.40am).
12:52am
OVER 74: ENG 241/6 (Smith 25 Jacks 21)
A stiff breeze is making the brim of Labuschagne’s Chappellesque sun hat flutter. Smith props forward to defend and misjudges the line. The ball kisses the inside edge and pops up but goes back up the pitch rather than to short leg.
Bits of litter sail across the square.
12:48am
The players are coming out
Under a blue sky. Two balls to bowl of the 74th over, Lyon’s 24th.
12:47am
It’s contagious
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12:41am
Play to resume at 12.50am GMT
Which leaves 40 minutes before lunch. Let’s not be silly but I will say only to let you know the playing regulations: if they needed to make up the overs, I think they can play beyond 7am (the extra half-hour cut-off) on day five.
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12:35am
Looks like the covers are coming off
We can see them starting work behind TNT Sports’ Becky Ives.
12:25am
Adelaide update
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The groundstaff cover the pitch once curated by Nathan Lyon, halfway through a Lyon over - AP/James Elsby
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12:12am
OVER 73.4: ENG 241/6 (Smith 25 Jacks 21)
Rain stops play after Smith defends one, has a couple of swipes and the shower thickens sufficiently. Australia don’t want a damp ball but England won’t want any moisture on the pitch with the new ball 38 balls away.
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Jacks and Smith extend their partnership to 47 - AFP/WILLIAM WEST
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12:10am
OVER 73: ENG 241/6 (Smith 25 Jacks 21)
Smith taps a short ball on the head with a roll of the wrists for a single off Green who fires another back-of-a-length delivery into Jacks’ solar plexus as he angles it in from wide on the crease. It’s raining now but the umpires are keeping them out there for now.
The Barmy Army chants: “Off! Off! Off!” Jacks sways out of the line of fire of another bouncer and leaves the last. The umpires converge to have a chat but agree to carry on for a bit.
12:06am
OVER 72: ENG 240/6 (Smith 24 Jacks 21)
Another maiden from Lyon to Jacks. “Pressure,” concludes Labuschagne. Head appealed for a leg-before from short leg which is an interesting perspective and it was nowhere near. But Jacks plays it pretty well, largely on the back foot, dictated by length and Lyon’s desire to bring his leg trap into play.
12:03am
OVER 71: ENG 240/6 (Smith 24 Jacks 21)
Green bounces Smith and he collars him, carting it three rows back at square leg for six with a bat halfway between horizontal and perpendicular. That takes the target beneath 200. I know. I know. Smith aborts midway through the pull at the next short one and the ball whistles past his ear. He rolls the wrists on another swivel-pull, for a single. Jacks steers a single down to third man.
Big appeal from Carey when Green gets his next bumper up above the shoulder. Smith goes for it. The keeper thinks he gloved it, Green doesn’t, nor does the umpire and Cummins sides with them.
11:57pm
OVER 70: ENG 232/6 (Smith 17 Jacks 20)
Maiden from Lyon to Jacks. It’s turning but Jacks plays him confidently off the back foot.
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Smith smacks Lyon for six in his previous over - PA/Robbie Stephenson
11:55pm
OVER 69: ENG 232/6 (Smith 17 Jacks 20)
Jacks puts up a prial of twos down to backward point by opening the face to Green. Then Jacks takes on the short ball, cloths it but gets away with it and strolls a single.
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11:51pm
OVER 68: ENG 225/6 (Smith 17 Jacks 13)
Labuschagne says an early Christmas present is imminent for ‘Gary’. He needs better material than this. And, after Jacks makes a Horlicks of a reverse sweep and is struck on the arm for a leg-bye, Jacks pulls a cracker, smacking Lyon over midwicket for six!
11:48pm
OVER 67: ENG 218/6 (Smith 11 Jacks 13)
Smith almost commits seppuku with a big waft outside off at Green’s channel ball. Goodness me that would have been a terrible way to go. He regroups to crack a cut for a single. Jacks drives straight, drives off his right foot for a single and twists his ankle in the blockhole. He’s in a bit of pain but seems to be game to continue and his hobbles through to complete the run.
A wild, top-edged pull from Smith lands short of backward square and they jog another single, Jacks moving more freely, so freely he pivots on it and tries to pull too and nails it down to midwicket who saves three on the boundary.
11:41pm
OVER 66: ENG 214/6 (Smith 9 Jacks 11)
The Nathan Lyon fluffer club, president M Labuschagne (Cardiff), is in full cry. “Gary, Gareeeeeeeee. Well bowled!” He’s bowling nicely but not ragging it as they seem to be suggesting. Smith calmly drives him for a single through cover and Jacks leaves and defends to close out the over.
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Travis turns Hydra - Getty Images/Robert Cianflone
11:38pm
OVER 65: ENG 213/6 (Smith 8 Jacks 11)
Green has a slip and a gully, catching cover and short mid-off. Smith drives uppishly down the ground, short of Green’s dive in his followthrough and the ball rebounded off the bowler allowing them to run three. Jacks pokes a defensive into the offside, check-drives a fuller one then goes fishing outside off with a no-footwork, vertical bat punch. A white-ball shot of ever there was one.
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11:34pm
OVER 64: ENG 210/6 (Smith 5 Jacks 11)
It is quite gloomy out there in all senses. Lyon’s warpaint more for show today. He has a leg slip and short leg. Again the fielders are keen to big up Lyon, telling him how well he’s bowling after every ball. It’s as if they know he’s not at his best and needs a confidence boost.
Smith uses his feet to drive down to long-off for three.
I’m no pessimist but I do wish the commentators would stop talking up the remote possibility of a win. Let’s just take it 10 minutes at a time. Jacks blocks the rest of the over, shuffling back.
Green is thrown the ball from the Cathedral End.
11:29pm
The players are coming out
Nathan Lyon is chatting to Will Jacks, brothers of the off-break. Smith is in strike to Lyon.
11:26pm
Steve Finn has his umbrella up
Some spots of rain but no one thinks it will be enough to stop play starting on time.
11:17pm
Red ball in the murk under lights, if it wasn’t for bad luck they’d have none at all
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11:05pm
Quick recap
Jamie Smith has two off 30 balls, Will Jacks 11 off 31 and the seventh-wicket partnership is 13 off 57. Australia have 17 overs before the new ball and all day to polish off England, who need 228 to win. There are six-and-a-half hours of play on day 11 of the 2025-26 Ashes.
10:45pm
Weather report
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There was some talk of rain in Adelaide this morning, but I’m a few minutes walk away and it’s dry. Very cloudy, but dry.
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The Adelaide Oval is covered in cloud before the final day of the third Test but, says our man on the ground, it is very dry - Getty Images/Philip Brown
Despite what our very own Michael Fish has said, the Bureau of Meteorology appears to be suggesting otherwise. Roughly a 50 per cent chance of showers until 12.30pm (2am, GMT).
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10:40pm
Brook’s witless self-destruction sums him and England up
10:30pm
Preview: Last rites for Bazball?
Good evening and welcome to live coverage of day five of the third Test of the 2025-26 Ashes series from Adelaide which begins with England in the forlorn position in a must-win Test of 207 for six, 228 runs short of victory. For two sessions yesterday it seemed like they were going to make an inspirational last stand, highly unlikely to win but symbolic of brighter days ahead. Sadly that all came crashing down after tea when the masterly Pat Cummins lured Joe Root on to the rocks and shipwrecked the innings then Nathan Lyon removed Harry Brook, with the vice-captain an accomplice in his own downfall, Ben Stokes and Zak Crawley who can take some solace from being undone by good ‘uns. It leaves England, who avoided the quick kill, with Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue to audition Casabianaca, ‘the boy stood on the burning deck, whence all but he had fled’.
There’s no real disgrace in losing to this bowling attack in Australia. Mitchell Starc, Cummins, Scott Boland, Michael Neser and Nathan Lyon have been magnificent, backed up by Venus fly-trap catching and a keeper-batsman joining the ranks of his illustrious predecessors Ian Healy, Adan Gilchrist and Brad Haddin for his impeccable glovework and ability to turn the screw with the bat. But let’s be fair, they, and the great Travis Head, have carried Messrs Weatherald, Labuschagne, Green (as a batsman), Inglis and Doggett. The difference being that only Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes can reflect on their work with genuine pride though there have been nuggety contributions at times from Crawley, Root and Josh Tongue. Barring rain, they will have lost the series in 11 days, just like Nasser Hussain’s side in 2002-03, who, by virtue of Michael Vaughan and Andy Caddick managed to win at Sydney, a victory that heralded a new beginning under Vaughan.
There will be plenty of time for pieces on the future of this regime and its mainstays over the next few days and all will have the flavour of post-mortems. The most disappointing aspect is, like the plaintive wail in Three Lions, ‘I know they can play’, at least much better than this. Like most cricket lovers I have friends who have spent fortunes to be out there and have been around the block too many times to lose their minds about it. We’ve seen it so often before. What remains is a yearning for England to do themselves justice and that would start with giving themselves the chance to do themselves justice with better judgment and adherence to the basic principles. At times Australia have been as streaky with the bat, even Head and Carey, as England’s batsmen but have got away with it. With the ball and in the field Australia have shown the only way ahead on these pitches is patience, discipline and never giving a sucker an even break. They did it in 2010-11 and are yet to come close since, hence the queasy prospect of another whitewash on the most unforgiving of tours.
Last knockings start at 11.30pm GMT.
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