Head century pours water on England’s faint sniff of a comeback after Archer and Stokes reduce deficit under 100.
Head century floors England after brief hopes of fightback.
England briefly threatened to maintain their Ashes hopes during the first half of the third day at Adelaide Oval, but Travis Head’s second century of the series as an opening batsman on his home ground gave Australia a 356-run lead that will undoubtedly be converted into a 3-0 Ashes retention at some point over the weekend.
For Head, who was dismissed by Harry Brook at gully on 99, it was the continuation of an incredible run in Adelaide that has resulted in four of his eleven Test hundreds, all of which have come in his final six innings at the ground.
After his hurried promotion in Perth and the scorching hundred that followed, this one might have also helped solidify his status as an opener. Overall, it was Head’s fourth century against England, and by the end, his career-high 175, which also occurred in Adelaide, was getting closer.
At least initially, England’s wheels did not come off as they had threatened to do on the second day at 168 for 8. However, Head and fellow South Australian Alex Carey formed an unbroken 122-run partnership during a desperate final session that saw Australia amass 152 in 35 overs, seemingly ending any chances of the kind of run chase that has defined the Bazball era.
However, England were unable to put any pressure on Head and Usman Khawaja as they added 86 in 113 balls after Josh Tongue removed an ineffective Marnus Labuschagne. Any feeling of vulnerability quickly disappeared when Head and Carey began their collaboration, despite the rapid downfall of Khawaja and Cameron Green. After scoring a hundred in the first innings, Carey continued his brilliant performance with a half-century.
Stokes and Archer’s partnership was so strong that the only thing left to think about was what may be possible. England had started the third day at 213 for 8 and were so far behind that it was hard to envision a route back. When play started, Stokes, who had persevered through the second day, demonstrated much more determination by driving Scott Boland through the covers in the first over.
After surpassing that performance at Headingley in 2019, he reached his fifty from 159 balls, the slowest of his career. He then moved out of the crease to Boland before launching a reverse sweep against Nathan Lyon. As the deficit fell below 100, he welcomed Pat Cummins’ opening ball of the day with a smashing pull.
In between, Archer, whom Stokes did not feel the need to shield from the blow, had hit Lyon over deep midwicket for six on his way to his first Test half-century from 96 balls. This became the highest ninth-wicket stand in an Australian Ashes Test since 1925.
Although there was a rising sense of urgency to tie things up, Australia wasn’t in a crisis situation. In an almost exact replica of the first innings in Perth, a wobble-seam delivery slashed back past Stokes’ inside edge and was put off stump by Starc, who had been wicketless up until this moment. Stokes roared in agony as his stumps were splashed, threw back his head, and threw the bat into the air. He had kept England afloat at that point, but by the end of the day, they were sinking once more.