Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\nMeanwhile, the rest of their bowling line-up have a few issues to deal with.<\/p>\n
Scroll down for the biggest talking points from day one at the Adelaide Oval!<\/p>\n
Aussie batters give away ‘soft’ wickets | 00:53<\/p>\n
\u2018JUST A GREAT PLAYER UNDER PRESSURE\u2019: CAREY MASTERCLASS SAVES AUSSIES<\/p>\n
These might just be Alex Carey\u2019s Ashes.<\/p>\n
The hometown hero enjoyed one of the best days of his career on Wednesday, scoring his third Test century, and his first Ashes hundred, in front of his adoring Adelaide Oval crowd.<\/p>\n
The Australian gloveman strode to the crease in the first over after lunch with his side in trouble at 4\/94, but responded with a chanceless ton that was brought up in 135 deliveries.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs he\u2019s often done in the last couple of years, he\u2019s just made some really important runs at crucial times,\u201d Australian great Mark Waugh told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s just a great player under pressure, I think. Technically very correct and he\u2019s making a case to be the permanent No.6, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carey has been in the spotlight for several other reasons – including the Bairstow stumping at Lords in 2023 and for his exceptional work up to the stumps to Michael Neser at the Gabba – but he has also now stolen the show for the way he wields the willow.<\/p>\n
Carey has enjoyed a sneakily impressive year with the bat.<\/p>\n
Questions were asked when Josh Inglis was called into the team in Brisbane to playing as a specialist batter at No.7, but Carey\u2019s form with the blade has simply been too good for the Australian hierarchy to pass up the chance to slide him up the order.<\/p>\n
No Australian has scored more Test runs in 2025.<\/p>\n
With Carey finishing 108 from 143 balls – he as 671 runs for the calendar year at an average of 51.61 and a strike rate of 79.78.<\/p>\n
Between Australia and England, only Joe Root (732) has scored more runs in 2025.<\/p>\n
Carey\u2019s day one masterclass was his second century of the year after a career-best 156 in the second Test in Galle in February.<\/p>\n
That mauling of Sri Lanka\u2019s spinner came at No.5 – above Inglis and all-rounder Beau Webster.<\/p>\n
In the first Test of that series, he also peeled off an unbeaten 46 from No.6.<\/p>\n
He then played crucial hands of 65 and 63 from No.7 in the first and second Tests in testing conditions for batters in the West Indies.<\/p>\n
He scored another 63 in the first innings in Brisbane, relishing the chance to move one spot up the order.<\/p>\n
The opportunity to bat higher is something Carey wants more of.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d always love to bat as high up the order as I can. I do it in Sheffield Shield cricket, I bat five, at times four. I love batting,\u201d Carey said at a Coopers promotional event on Sunday.<\/p>\n
There is no reason why he cannot do so if he keeps to work his way up the all-time rankings.<\/p>\n
Only Adam Gilchrist (17), Brad Haddin (4) and Ian Healy (4) have more Test hundreds among Australian wicketkeepers, and Carey\u2019s push towards the greats has come off the back of a more aggressive mindset in recent times.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s always been a good player, but it\u2019s probably just confidence,\u201d Waugh told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou make important runs in tough conditions and you naturally feel more confident in your own game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s just that. He\u2019s always had a good, solid technique as a good starting point and now he\u2019s got that confidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a very aggressive player. He scores quickly. So, he can put pressure back on the bowlers.\u201d<\/p>\n
DEJA VU: HEROIC KHAWAJA MAKES MOST OF \u2018FREE HIT\u2019 TO CREATE SELECTION SQUEEZE<\/p>\n
On the opening morning of the third Test in Adelaide, many would have said there was more chance of the Barmy Army erupting into Australia\u2019s national anthem, than Usman Khawaja being recalled to the hosts\u2019 starting XI.<\/p>\n
Yet here we are after day one, with the veteran left-hander sitting pretty with a 28th Test fifty next to his name.<\/p>\n
Not for the first time in his 86-Test career, Khawaja received an 11th-hour call-up to the side with his international career at a crossroads. <\/p>\n
In the fourth Test of the last Ashes series on Australian soil, the Queenslander replaced Travis Head in Sydney, after the livewire was ruled out with a positive Covid test.<\/p>\n
Khawaja went on to hit 137 and 101 across both innings, and secure his spot in the side for another four years \u2014 a highly improbable outcome at the time.<\/p>\n
Today, it was Steve Smith\u2019s vertigo bout and disrupted preparation that was his lifeline almost exactly four years on.<\/p>\n
To the surprise of some, Khawaja replaced Smith in a straight swap at number four in the batting order. It\u2019s a position that before today, he had only batted in twice across 153 innings for Australia \u2014 one of which was in Perth amid back spasm complaints.<\/p>\n
Coming to the crease at 2\/33, Khawaja, who turns 39 on Thursday, was given an early life after being dropped at second slip by Harry Brook on just five.<\/p>\n
From there though, he made scoring look effortless. Long gone was his slow start, with world-class strokeplay through the leg side off both pace and spin bowling.<\/p>\n
Clips off the pads, pulls shots with the front knee up, and meticulous sweeping, Khawaja was doing it all not even hours after his shock call-up.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody\u2019s human, and there probably would\u2019ve been a part of him that went to bed last night thinking: \u2018Have I played my last game for Australia? Is that Baggy Green ever going to go on my head in a professional setting ever again?\u2019\u201d Australian fast bowling great Brett Lee told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you\u2019ve been dropped at the age of 38 \u2014 and turning 39 on Thursday \u2014 it can be a long road back, and sometimes a road that shuts permanently.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been given a lifeline through the illness of Steve Smith, but he\u2019s grabbed it with two hands, and that\u2019s what you have to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is essentially a free hit for him, and that\u2019s the way he went out and hit five boundaries in the space of no time (after being dropped), shows he\u2019s got that momentum now.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been a great, great player for Australia, and wouldn\u2019t this be a great fairytale? Waking up in the morning and thinking you\u2019re never going to play again for Australia, and then go peel off a big score!\u201d<\/p>\n
And grab it with two hands he did. While Khawaja ultimately fell short of what would have been an incredible three-figure milestone, his score of 82, which included 10 boundaries, now leaves the Australian selectors with a major selection dilemma already heading into Melbourne.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s tricky isn\u2019t it? Smith comes back in, who gets left out? That\u2019s the selectors\u2019 job to work that one out,\u201d Australian great Mark Waugh told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think if Khawaja plays in the future, he should open, but they\u2019re sort of mixing and matching the batting order.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe took advantage of an early change and then he played really nicely. Played really positively.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s probably shown that he can bat anywhere in the order, which probably enhances his chances of selection moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018MAYBE A BIT OF COMPLACENCY\u2019: AUSSIES FALL TO \u2018LAZY\u2019 DISMISSALS<\/p>\n
Australia\u2019s top order batters would be absolutely kicking themselves after the first day\u2019s play in Adelaide. <\/p>\n
After Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bat with temperatures hitting 35 degrees, the hosts\u2019 top order missed their chance to really make England bake in the scorching heat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Australia have gifted England, I\u2019d say probably five wickets with lazy shots, chipping balls, getting caught in the in field or the out field,\u201d Australian great Mark Waugh told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cJosh Inglis would be disappointed with his dismissal.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day, Australia are probably still in a decent position now.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut (450-500) is what you\u2019d think you\u2019d be scoring on this sort of surface, but these things happen,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Travis Head and Jake Weatherald looked set for another fruitful opening stand only to fall in the space of six balls. <\/p>\n
Weatherald went first, undone by a Jofra Archer bouncer from around the wicket. <\/p>\n
Head then let Brydon Carse off the hook, who had been smashed about by the aggressive openers, when he miscued a half volley that was well caught down low by Zak Crawley at cover point. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a result of Travis Head lacking rhythm, they kept him scoreless. One scoring shot in his final 17 deliveries. They know when he is not on point, he is vulnerable,\u201d O\u2019Keeffe said on Kayo Sports\u2019 live Ashes coverage. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a release shot, the weight was back. It was a full delivery. His weight only went forward after contact.\u201d <\/p>\n
After lunch, Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green then handed Archer two more scalps. <\/p>\n
Labuschagne dropped his bat and stood at the crease in disbelief as he departed on the first ball of the second session, chipping a half-hearted cross bat shot to Brydon Carse at mid-wicket. <\/p>\n
Carse was in the game again two balls later, snaffling a far more difficult chance at forward square leg as Green\u2019s clip off the pads sailed to his right. <\/p>\n
Diving full length, Carse held on with both hands to send Green on his way for a second ball duck. <\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think Australia will be particularly happy with those dismissals, they\u2019re all soft dismissals, all four of them,\u201d Australian great Mark Waugh said on Kayo Sports\u2019 live Ashes coverage. <\/p>\n
For Green, it was a humbling experience after he became the highest paid international player in IPL history during Tuesday night\u2019s auction \u2013 he was sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping $4.17 million \u2013 although, he will receive $2.98m due to new rules for overseas players, where any additional funds over 18 crore (almost $3m) go straight to the BCCI\u2019s player development program. <\/p>\n
Looking to bounce back from his poor dismissal in Brisbane, where he was bowled backing away to Carse who had been using a barrage of short balls, a duck in Adelaide was not ideal. <\/p>\n
In fact, it badly hurt his career numbers. <\/p>\n
After 26 innings in 18 Tests, Green\u2019s average on home soil has dipped below 30 \u2013 to 29.56 with four half-centuries and a highest score of 84. <\/p>\n
His IPL stats are quite strong but Green has long been a man selected, and paid, on potential.<\/p>\n
He is yet to truly live up to the billing, with The Age\u2019s Andrew Wu pointing out Green – who\u2019s now 26 years old – is behind most other Aussie all-rounders at the same point of his career.<\/p>\n
Despite being a shining light for Australia after his last-minute recall, Usman Khawaja would also have been disappointed with his dismissal, top edging a sweep shot to deep square leg just 18 runs shy of a 17th Test century. <\/p>\n
Khawaja had been playing spinner Will Jacks with ease until that point, and his downfall came out of the blue. <\/p>\n
That was the general vibe for the rest of Australia\u2019s five, besides Weatherald, too. <\/p>\n
Head, Labuschagne, Green and Khawaja were all strange dismissals that seemingly were plucked out of thin air. <\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe a bit of complacency or a lack of concentration,\u201d Waugh told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey lost two wickets straight after lunch, which to me is probably a concentration issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cA bit of a mixture of reasons why Australia have done what they\u2019ve done today, but someone always stands up.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last Test, they all made runs, five or six fifties.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou would have liked a bit more runs from the top order, but guys like Alex Carey have been able to hold down the fort.\u201d <\/p>\n
JOFRA RESPONDS TO SMITH\u2019S SLEDGE<\/p>\n
Well, Jofra Archer clearly listened to Steve Smith\u2019s words on the final evening in Brisbane because this time around he bowled fast when there was something going on.<\/p>\n
England\u2019s leading quick ripped out the heart of Australia\u2019s top order with a hostile display that left the hosts stunned early, before he ended the day with figures of 3\/29 from 16 overs including five maidens.<\/p>\n
Jake Weatherald (18) was first to go in the morning session, bounced out as part of a fiery six-over opening spell that conceded just seven runs.<\/p>\n
Archer returned immediately after lunch and sent Marnus Labuschagne (19) on his way first ball after the break as Australia\u2019s No.3 tamely chipped a catch to Brydon Carse at mid-wicket with a half-hearted cross bat shot.<\/p>\n
Two balls later, Cameron Green departed for a second ball duck, clipping off the pads to a full-length diving Carse to hand Archer his third of the day.<\/p>\n
The dismissals of Labuschagne and Green were far from pretty and said a lot about the batters\u2019 shot selection, but it was also reward for Archer\u2019s discipline.<\/p>\n
The 30-year-old was very economical as well as lightning-fast, conceding only 19 runs from his ten overs.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has been very effective,\u201d Australian captain Alyssa Healy said on Kayo Sports\u2019 live Ashes coverage.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was the pick with the new ball, got it in the right areas. Set up Jake Weatherald beautifully and obviously the first over after the lunch break, got Marnus Labuschagne snoozing a little bit on that first ball, and Cam Green just chipping one to Brydon Carse.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust putting the ball in the right spots and making the Australians play shots that they are uncomfortable with has got them the rewards.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jofra gives daggers to Weatherald! | 00:41<\/p>\n
Archer\u2019s efforts brought much delight to the Barmy Army gathered behind him on the iconic hill as they watched Australia\u2019s top four hop around the crease.<\/p>\n
The modern scoreboard attendants knew exactly what they were doing, flashing up the findings of the speed gun every delivery with Archer consistently hitting the mid to high 140km\/h range.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hardest thing for England, is it was a pretty ordinary start again \u2014 and I\u2019m being kind there, it\u2019s not the tone you want to set in the first eight overs of the third Test,\u201d former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe game plan coming to Adelaide is you\u2019ve got to bowl full with the new ball and aim at the stumps. After the first eight overs, they absolutely nailed it \u2026 it took them a while to get going today. <\/p>\n
\u201cOnce he (Archer) got into his third or fourth over \u2026 People don\u2019t realise that when you take a Test wicket, you feel like you\u2019re Usain Bolt and could run the 100m sprint in six seconds. <\/p>\n
\u201cNow I\u2019ve seen him live on a number of occasions, I think he\u2019s that player who needs an injection of energy through a wicket.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was the sort of performance that was exactly what captain Ben Stokes would have asked for in his much discussed heart to hearts with his teammates after Brisbane.<\/p>\n
Others might not have really listened, however, as runs flowed relatively freely at the other end.<\/p>\n
Archer\u2019s new ball partner Carse allowed Weatherald and Travis Head (10) to get off to a promising start before he nabbed the key wicket of the latter, thanks to Zak Crawley\u2019s superb catch low to his left at cover point.<\/p>\n
Carse\u2019s opening five overs conceded 29 overs, including five fours as he failed to find a consistent length with Australia\u2019s openers peppering the cover point boundary early.<\/p>\n
He also over stepped four times in his opening spell, and six times for the day.<\/p>\n
With England having made the eyebrow raising decision to drop Gus Atkinson and leave Carse in for this Test, greats of the game were blasting the 30-year-old in the commentary boxes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is poor, it really is,\u201d former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have to win this first session … Carse is just going far too short, he has done throughout the series.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cThat\u2019s garbage, it really is.\u201d<\/p>\n
SPINNER \u2018CONUNDRUM\u2019 THAT SIGNALS POINT OF NO RETURN FOR POMS<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the investment that, at this point, simply has to have kept England selectors up at night more than just once.<\/p>\n
For the third straight Test, Shoaib Bashir was snubbed as the visitors\u2019 front-line spinner, with batting all-rounder Will Jacks their preferred slow bowling option.<\/p>\n
And while there ultimately isn\u2019t any way to prove that his Bashir\u2019s output would have been greater with the ball than Jacks so far this series, the inability for Ben Stokes to turn to a genuine spin-bowling option has clearly hurt England in the field.<\/p>\n
Jacks, who came into Adelaide with a first-class bowling average north of 42, did take the important wicket of Usman Khawaja for 82 as tea approached on the opening day \u2014 but it came at a cost.<\/p>\n
His economy rate for the day was a run-a-ball for his first dozen overs for the day, and finished at 2-105 after 20 overs, leaving Jofra Archer as the only Pom to genuinely tie down an end amid the Adelaide heat.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a conundrum; with all due respect to Bashir\u2019s batting, they want to strengthen their batting,\u201d Brett Lee told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cJacks can play the role of doing both (batting and bowling) … he could play the role of a front-line spinner.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always liked having a front-line spinner in any Test attack \u2026 (even with Australia) I was shocked they didn\u2019t pick Nathan Lyon in that second Test.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d be inclined, if I was England, to go with a front-line spinner.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of course, the move to select Jacks over Bashir also factors in Jacks\u2019 ability with the bat and in the field. It\u2019s a three-dimensional play, but at what cost?<\/p>\n
\u201cI mentioned this three-year journey that Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have taken English cricket on. For much of that, they\u2019ve picked Shoaib Bashir, and we\u2019ve been told that it\u2019s been for Australian conditions,\u201d former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo think that he\u2019s been on that journey, (but) he\u2019s not playing here at the Adelaide Oval where it\u2019s going to be absolutely roasting on a pitch that we know will take a bit of spin … that can\u2019t be right.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decision not to play their main spinner, having backed him for pretty much three years, is a big call by the England side. You have to say it\u2019s been the wrong call to go on all that journey with Bashir if he\u2019s not going to be playing here.\u201d<\/p>\n
It now looks likely that the Poms are past the point of no return on this tour with Bashir, and could signal his 19-Test career to date as one that would\u2019ve been far better being invested elsewhere.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Alex Carey\u2019s brilliant hometown hundred and Usman Khawaja\u2019s impressive knock after a last-minute recall led the way on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":353776,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[564],"tags":[64,63,740,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-353775","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cricket","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-cricket","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=353775"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353775\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/353776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=353775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=353775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=353775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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