England’s chances of retaining the Ashes suffered a severe blow on the second day of the third Test in Adelaide, as their batters collapsed to 213-8 in reply to Australia’s 371, leaving them 158 runs behind and on the brink of series defeat. The tourists’ hopes are fading rapidly after a day dominated by Australian bowling excellence and further controversy over the Snicko technology used in decision reviews.
On a scorching day at Adelaide Oval, with temperatures reaching 41 degrees Celsius, England began by wrapping up Australia’s first innings for 371, thanks to a magnificent five-wicket haul from Jofra Archer. However, their reply started disastrously, losing three wickets for just five runs in 15 balls to slump to 42-3. Zak Crawley fell to Pat Cummins, Ben Duckett was bowled by Nathan Lyon, and Ollie Pope’s rash shot off Lyon compounded the early troubles, exposing England’s fragile top order.
The middle order offered brief resistance, with Harry Brook scoring 45 from 63 balls before edging Cameron Green, and Joe Root managed 19 before falling to Cummins. Captain Ben Stokes provided the only prolonged defiance, battling through cramp and a blow to the head to finish 45 not out from 151 deliveries. Yet, wickets tumbled regularly, with Jamie Smith dismissed amid Snicko confusion and lower-order batters failing to support Stokes, leaving England at 213-8 at stumps.
Controversy surrounded the Decision Review System (DRS), as Snicko errors affected key moments. Smith survived an earlier appeal when technology suggested the ball hit his helmet, not his glove, but was later given out caught behind despite apparent disbelief from players. This followed a similar incident involving Australia’s Alex Carey on day one, raising questions about the reliability of the technology in a high-stakes series.
Australia’s bowling attack was relentless, with Cummins returning from injury to take 3-54, while Lyon and Scott Boland claimed two wickets each. The home side exploited the conditions perfectly, never allowing England to settle and highlighting the gulf in class between the teams. Archer’s late partnership with Stokes added 55 runs, but it was too little to alter the match’s trajectory.
England’s performance underscored deeper issues, with their batting lineup failing to adapt to the pressure and conditions. The so-called Bazball approach was largely absent, replaced by a cautious and ultimately ineffective strategy. Stokes’ leadership is now under scrutiny as his team faces the prospect of losing the Ashes within 10 days of cricket, with Australia poised to secure the series in the coming days.
The implications are stark for England, who trail 2-0 in the series and must avoid defeat here to keep their hopes alive. With only two wickets remaining and a significant deficit, they are likely to face a daunting Australian second innings, making a comeback seem improbable. The focus now shifts to damage control and rebuilding for future Tests, but for now, the Ashes are slipping away.
