Any account of the third test match, in Adelaide, inevitably becomes an obituary notice on England’s abortive attempt to wrestle the Ashes from Australia’s iron grip. There can be no doubt that trying to win the Ashes in Australia is the hardest task in the world of cricket – if further proof was needed.
The conditions, the ruthless determination of Australia’s cricketers and their huge and intensely patriotic crowds who believe that permanent possession of the Ashes is their God-given right, all help to make it the seemingly impossible task that faced Ben Stokes’s much heralded side. It has been a long time since English cricket and its supporters have experienced quite such a sense of let-down.
This third test, played on the loveliest of Australia’s main grounds, the Adelaide Oval, began with England already two matches down after only six days of cricket. The bowlers, especially Jofra Archer, who took 5/53, did a reasonable job bowling out Australia for 371 in the first innings after they had won an important toss. The main contributor was wicket keeper, Alex Carey, who made a fine 106. It was once again the batters who let England down, just as they had done in Perth and Brisbane, against a ruthlessly efficient attack which England have themselves never been able to match.
This vibrant Australian attack was now led by their captain, Pat Cummins, who had not played since July because of an injury to his lower back. Steve Smith, his replacement as captain in the first two matches, who is Australia’s best batter, was taken ill on the morning of the match. Cummins influence was apparent from the moment he came out of the pavilion. He offered some outstanding fast bowling and even left Mitchell Starc, the hero of the first two tests, in the shade. Cummins, who was appointed captain in 2021, has been one of Australia’s best ever captains.
On an easier surface than in Perth and Brisbane, England’s batters continued to get themselves out with a shot selection that made one wonder what had happened to their mindsets. It was only because of an unlikely stand of 91 between a determined Stokes and a more flamboyant Archer that England reached 286 in the first innings. Australia’s second was set up by opener Travis Head’s second century of the series. It was a less dramatic innings than his 123 in Perth when, as a makeshift opener, he had won the first test for Australia. His main support now came from his fellow South Australian, Carey, who made 72 and became the first Australian wicket keeper to score a century and a fifty in the same test match.
Australia were bowled out on the fourth morning for 349, the last six wickets falling for 38. England were left to score 435 to win. They made a bad start when Ben Duckett fell to Cummins, caught at first slip off the eighth ball of the innings. The 31-year-old Marnus Labuschagne held a brilliant, one-handed diving catch low to his left at first slip, and when Joe Root nibbled and was caught behind, England were 107/3 and Cummins had taken all three.
It was now that Nathan Lyon, the world’s leading off spinner, came into his own. Earlier, sensible batting by Crawley, Root and Brook had prevented Lyon having too many close fielders, and with the pitch not yet turning extravagantly, he was easily negotiated. England had reached 177/3 when Brook, who had already survived one ramp, surely an outrageous stroke to attempt in the circumstances, launched an ill-judged reverse sweep at Lyon and was bowled. Stokes took his place looking fiercely determined as always, and began with a lovely drive through the covers off Starc. He now faced Lyon, who bowled a beauty which pitched on the leg stump, drew the left-handed Stokes half forward, and turned enough to miss the outside edge of the bat and hit the off stump. It was the perfect ball.
In Lyon’s next over, Crawley, who was looking more comfortable than he had so far in the series, came forward to drive Lyon against the spin through the off-side. The ball did not turn and Crawley slightly lost balance as he dragged his back foot out of the crease. Carey, who kept wicket as well as he had batted, quickly stumped him.
After that, only spirited resistance, shown by England for the first time in Australia by Jamie Smith and Will Jacks, took England to 352. Smith hit two sixes and seven fours in his 60 and took four successive boundaries off Starc before driving him to mid-on. He and Jacks accumulated 97 and showed the fight England might have put up if they been better prepared for this tour.
What will undoubtedly be a lengthy inquest is already underway
Jacks’ determined defiance came to an end when he then fell to another brilliant low left-handed diving catch by Labuschagne at first slip. Neither Archer nor Josh Tongue, England’s last hopes, lasted long. Tongue gave Labuscagne his fourth catch of the innings at first slip; Australia’s catching had been in a different class to England’s in all three matches.
With two matches still to play, what will undoubtedly be a lengthy inquest is already underway. It will surely lead to comprehensive changes and an uneasy period for England’s cricket. I would expect Stokes to keep the captaincy, but am less confident about the staying power of the coach, Brendon McCullum and his beloved Bazball. Rob Key, the managing director of English cricket, will also have some awkward questions to answer.