Adelaide, 18 December 2025:
Alex Carey’s fighting century and disciplined bowling led by Pat Cummins put Australia firmly on top at the close of the second day of the third Ashes Test on Thursday, with England stumbling to 213 for eight in reply to Australia’s first-innings 371 at Adelaide Oval.
England trail by 158 runs heading into Day 3, with captain Ben Stokes (45 not out) and Jofra Archer (30 not out) left to salvage the innings after another testing day against Australia’s attack.
Resuming on 326 for eight, Australia added 45 runs in the morning as Carey completed a superb 106, anchoring the lower order with patience and authority. The wicketkeeper-batter faced 143 balls and struck eight fours and a six, lifting Australia from early trouble into a commanding position. Mitchell Starc chipped in with an aggressive 54, while Scott Boland added a useful 14 not out as the hosts were dismissed for 371 in 91.2 overs.
Archer was England’s standout bowler, finishing with five for 53, his pace and bounce unsettling the tail.
Brydon Carse took two wickets but was expensive, while Will Jacks claimed two as England rotated their options.
England’s reply began shakily, losing Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope cheaply before Nathan Lyon and Cummins tightened the screws. Ben Duckett counterattacked briefly with 29, but wickets fell regularly, including Joe Root for 19 and Harry Brook for 45 after a promising stand with Stokes.
Cummins led from the front, taking three for 54, repeatedly breaching England’s top and middle order. Scott Boland was miserly, claiming two for 31, while Lyon added two more wickets to keep England under pressure.
Stokes battled through a long, attritional knock, facing 151 balls, but found limited support as England slipped from 159 for five to 168 for eight. Archer showed resilience late in the day, sharing an unbroken stand to carry England past 200 by stumps.
With Australia sensing another decisive push, the third day looms as pivotal in the contest, as the hosts look to press home their advantage in the Ashes series.
