Australia’s Alex Carey has scored his maiden Ashes century to carry his team to a solid total of 8-326 on day one of the third Test at the Adelaide Oval.
Carey eventually fell for 106, his third century in his 46th Test, after celebrating in front of a record crowd for a day of cricket at his home ground.
Quick hits: DRS questioned by former umpire as Aussies cash in on second livesScorecard: Check out the full scores and stats for the third Ashes Test
During his celebration, TV cameras found wife Eloise, who was wiping away tears while Carey on the field looked to the skies in honour of his father, Gordon, who died in September.
“A decent day’s cricket. It was pretty special to make a hundred here in front of home fans and family and you know why I was looking to the heavens,” he told Fox Sports.
“I’ll try not to tear up. It was a great moment. Dad played the biggest role in my cricket, coached me all the way through and sort of let me go as I got into my older teenage years, but would always shoot a message [like] ‘put the reverse sweep away’.
“It was great. A special moment for myself but for the family too I reckon.”
Earlier, Usman Khawaja scored 82 after he was recalled to the team when superstar batter Smith was ruled out before play, with Cricket Australia saying he had experienced nausea and dizziness for days in the lead-up to the game.
Returning captain Pat Cummins confirmed after winning the coin toss that Khawaja would bat in Smith’s place at number four, resisting the temptation to return Khawaja to the opening role he has played for the past three years.
But, after Jake Weatherald and Travis Head fell in successive overs, Khawaja was back out in the middle after 40 minutes of play.
He was dropped at second slip by Harry Brook after scratching his way to 5 off 27 balls, but accelerated rapidly from that point to be 41 at lunch alongside Queensland teammate Marnus Labuschagne.
The security of the revitalised pair was quickly expunged when Labuschagne chipped the first ball after the break to mid-wicket, and Cameron Green followed suit just two deliveries later.
Carey and Khawaja shared a 91-run partnership. (Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)
That brought Carey to the crease, and he put on 91 with Khawaja before the latter holed out to an innocuous Will Jacks delivery just before tea.
Josh Inglis and Pat Cummins came and went before Carey notched three figures in a home Test for the first time since is first major milestone in the 2022 Boxing Day Test.
He too eventually fell to Jacks, before Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon made it through to stumps.
Look back at all the action in our live blog below, and check out all the stats in our ScoreCentre.
Key Events
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11h ago11 hours agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:39am
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Show all key events18h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 12:00amAshes live: Third Test at Adelaide Oval
10h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 7:21am
Thanks for joining us!
It’s a resilient Australian batting line-up evidenced by today and arguably facilitated by some fickle English bowling. Thank you Alex Carey ! You’ve done exactly as required – in true Test match style. Honours to you in today’s play.
– Old timer
And well said, as always, Old timer.
That was a special innings from Alex Carey and one that headlines a thoroughly absorbing day of Test match cricket.
Thanks for joining me and Jon today – we’ll be back tomorrow to bring you all the action from day two of the third Ashes Test.
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 7:14am
Carey opens up on ‘special’ century
(Getty Images)
Alex Carey sparkled in the middle of the Adelaide Oval today, and he’s talking to Fox cricket.
“Great to be out there with Mitch, and a decent day’s cricket…to make a hundred here in front of home fans and family was special,” Carey says.
“And I guess you know why I was looking to the heavens.”
Carey lost his father earlier in the year.
“I’ll try not to tear up,” Carey says.
“To have mum, brother, sister, Eloise, the kids here, it was a great moment.
“As we mentioned, Dad played the biggest role probably in my cricket, coached me all the way through as dads want to do.
“Sort let me go once I got into my older teenage years but would always shoot a message to put the reverse sweep away…it was great, I won’t go into too much depth but it was a special moment for myself but the family too I reckon.”
A beautiful moment for one of Australia’s most reliable players.
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 7:04amStumps: Australia 8-326
(Getty Images)
An even, see-sawing day of Test cricket comes to an end.
Australia scored quickly throughout it, but consistent and disappointing wickets ensured the hosts never really got away from England.
The day, of course, was defined by a sparkling, effortless century to Alex Carey.
The Australian wicketkeeper found the middle of the bat from the get-go, pulling, cutting and punching his way to a 146-ball 106.
Usman Khawaja, too, was impressive after being thrust into the playing XI at the 11th hour.
His 82 was his first Test match half-century since January.
For England, though, it was probably the best day of cricket of the series so far.
Their pacers never game up on a pitch that was offering little, as Jofra Archer found his best overs of the tour.
They’ll be hopeful of knocking over the Australian tail quick-smart on day two.
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 7:00am
83rd over – Stokes to bowl the last set of the day
And Nathan Lyon is the batter to try and see it out.
Lyon is defending into the off-side and then off the hip.
Four balls left to survive.
Very wide outside off and Lyon is more than happy to watch it fly through to Jamie Smith.
This is Ben Stokes’s 19th over of the day. A massive effort from the captain.
Lyon defends the 19th dot of his innings.
Short and down the legside and Lyon is shaping to nudge it around the corner but missing it entirely.
Stokes returns to his mark for the final delivery of the day…
Lyon keeps it out.
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:57am
82nd over – Archer returns with new ball in hand
Jofra is back.
Mitchell Starc will be desperate to see these six balls out.
It’s a real loosener to begin from Archer, 130km/hr and down the leg side. Starc leaves it alone.
And the Australian number nine is defending the next, before squirting one through point and turning down the single.
Three balls remaining in the Archer over.
Wide and short and Starc is swinging and missing.
Archer hasn’t quite hit the speeds he was earlier in the day, averaging about 135km/hr so far this over.
Four! Full and straight and Starc clips it through mid-wicket to end the over!
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:51am
81st over – England takes the new ball
This is going to be an uncomfortable couple overs for the Australians.
The new ball is taken.
And Ben Stokes, six overs into his spell, has decided he should be the man to get first use.
And there’s swing straight away! Moving away from Nathan Lyon, it flies through to Jamie Smith.
Too full from Stokes and Lyon pushes to mid-on for no run.
Wide and short and Lyon has a waft – but the ball loops harmlessly through to Smith.
Wide again and Lyon is happy to leave this one alone.
Again, Lyon leaves it alone.
Not a whole lot of zip from the new rock thus far, with the ball dying after passing the batter.
Lyon pushes the ball back to Stokes to finish the over.
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:50am
80th over – Jacks gets six more
How will Mitchell Starc play the off-spinner?
With calm, to begin at least.
He’s defending and then nudging into the off-side. No runs on either occasion.
One delivery to come before the new ball…
With the field up, Starc is unable to work a single.
Nathan Lyon will face the fresh rock…
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:45am
79th over – Stokes charges in once more
No wickets yet, but a whole lot of heart on show so far today from Ben Stokes.
He’s charging in once more and Starc is leaving outside off.
Starc is flat batting the next and then ducking under the one after.
Just fifteen minutes until stumps and it looks like Starc is determined to make it there.
Starc works one off the hip and blesses Nathan Lyon with two balls to negotiate.
Lyon gets underneath a bouncer.
And he’s playing into the on-side to end the over. No run.
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:42am
78th over – Jacks has four to come
Nathan Lyon, on his return to the team, is out to the middle and has four balls to negotiate.
The first one spins into Lyon who just about defends it.
The second is met more convincingly by Lyon, who flat bats it back to the bowler.
There’s a single on offer from the final delivery of the over, but Mitchell Starc turns it down.
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:39amCarey top edges and is dismissed!
Once again, it’s a soft dismissal for the Australians.
Carey is down and sweeping Jacks, but all he gets is a big top edge.
The ball flies high into the sky and falls comfortably into the gloves of Jamie Smith.
A wonderful knock comes to a disappointing end.
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:35am
77th over – Stokes steams in
Ben Stokes is coming around the wicket to Mitchell Starc, who is defending into the off-side.
The field, barring a slip and a gully, is spread for Australia’s hard-hitting number nine.
Starc ducks underneath a short ball.
Stokes pops his collar as he grimaces on the way back to his mark.
Still looking pretty red.
Starc goes after one! But it’s well controlled and into the ground well before it reaches the fielder on the fence. Just a single.
Carey swivels one to fine leg for another single.
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:33am
76th over – Jacks to spin six more
Alex Carey is working a single to begin before Mitchell Starc defends a couple.
There’s a fair few Englishmen out on the fence, but you’d imagine they won’t dissuade him from having a crack.
He gets a wide one and cuts it for a single.
A couple more singles to end the over.
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:29am
75th over – Stokes goes again
Ben Stokes is looking increasingly red out there.
I hope he’s been applying sunscreen regularly today.
Four! Short from Stokes and Mitchell Starc is swinging and getting just enough glove to glide it past Jamie Smith and to the fence.
Fuller from Stokes and Starc is defending.
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:24am
74th over – Stokes turns to spin
Ben Stokes turns to Will Jacks.
The off-spinner arrows one in from around the wicket and Alex Carey works a single down the ground.
Mitchell Starc rocks back and cuts for another single.
There are runs everywhere for the Australian batters right now, as another single brings up an unwanted milestone for Will Jacks.
His figures now read 1-100 as the Adelaide Oval cheers ironically.
11h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:19amAlex Carey goes to 100!
Underneath a scorching Adelaide sun, at his home ground, Alex Carey pushes one through cover and completes a wonderful century.Â
The crowd is up and paying tribute to the hometown hero, who is playing his first Test match at the Oval since losing his father earlier in the year.
It has been an almost chanceless knock from the Australian wicketkeeper.
His first Ashes century. What a player.
12h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:17am
73rd over – Carey is three runs away
Deep point, deep square leg and deep fine leg for the South Australian on 97.
Alex Carey is back and shovelling one deep into the leg-side for a single.
He moves to 98.
Starc swipes one that is gathered on the bounce at gully.
He proceeds to work a single off the hip.
Carey returns to strike with three balls left in the over and two runs away from his century.
He’s forward and pushing to mid-on for no run.
12h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:12am
72nd over – Carse to Carey on 96
Brydon Carse is coming around the wicket to Alex Carey, who is pushing into the off-side and then getting a single through mid-on.
Starc swings again! This time, very unconvincingly. It balloons and just about clears the men in the infield. The batters run a couple.
It’s called a no ball.
Starc works one off his hip and he picks up another two. Starc has raced to 18 from 25 deliveries.
And it’s a dot to end the over.
12h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:08am
71st over – Stokes returns
The England captain brings himself on for the first time since tea.
It’s full and on off to begin. Starc is defending.
Starc works a single around the corner and Alex Carey returns to strike on 95.
He retakes his guard before defending into the on-side.
You can feel the tension building around the Adelaide Oval. The hometown hero moves to 96 with a swivel and a shovel to deep square leg.
Starc strides forward and plays another one of those domineering straight drives – but this time, Stokes is able to gather on the bounce in his follow through.
And Starc is defending to end the over.
12h agoWed 17 Dec 2025 at 6:02am
70th over – Carey one hit away
Alex Carey is on 94* as Brydon Carse goes again in the Adelaide heat.
Carey rocks back and glides one through point for a single.
He moves to 95.
The field comes up for Mitchell Starc. There’s a slip as well as a bunch of catchers scattered on either side of the wicket.
Starc swings! He doesn’t get all of it, but that’s a good enough shot from Starc. It’s essentially a golf swing – no foot movement, but enough contact to fly over the infield and dribble to the long-on boundary.
Starc goes again! Even straighter this time from Starc, who makes the most of a half volley by smashing it over Carse’s head and to the fence.
He proceeds to work a single from the final ball of a ten-run over.
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