Ashes 2025-26, AUS vs ENG: Australia on verge of retaining urn after Englands batting collapse

New Delhi: Australia are now on the brink of retaining the urn after England's poor batting performance in the second innings of the third Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday, December 20. The visitors finished day four at 207/6, needing 228 runs to win.

Nathan Lyon picked up three late wickets to put England in a losing position. Skipper Pat Cummins also delivered a sensational bowling spell and took three wickets. The hosts started the day at 271/4 with Alex Carey unbeaten on 52 while Travis Head was on 142. The Aussies were bowled out for 349, setting England a target of 435. 

Australia had two overs at the visitors before the break, and skipper Cummins removed Ben Duckett for four runs, edging behind to Marnus Labuschagne with a ball he didn't need to play at.

Cummins picked up his second wicket after the break when Labuschagne took a stunning one-handed catch to dismiss Ollie Pope for 17. After their dismissal, Joe Root and Zak Crawley stitched a 78-run partnership for the third wicket before Root was removed by Pat Cummins for the record-breaking 13th time.

Crawley and Harry Brook forged another 68-run partnership, but Lyon picked up his first wicket and removed Harry Brook. The Australian off-spinner then removed Ben Stokes for five runs with a peach of a delivery.

Crawley became Nathan Lyon's third victim in the next over, as he tried to play a drive but missed the ball completely, and Alex Carey took a good catch behind the stumps. Australia are edging closer to retaining the Ashes. England showed great early resistance by taking six wickets in the first session, but failed to carry that momentum into their batting. 

England’s last Test win on Australian soil came in January 2011, when they famously won the series 3-1. Since then, the Three Lions have suffered defeats on three tours to Down Under, and on the verge of losing fourth.