Adelaide, December 20, 2025 – Excitement has reached fever pitch at Adelaide Oval as Australia and England gear up for the fifth and final day of the third Ashes Test. At stumps on the fourth day, England still need 228 runs to claim victory, while Australia require just four wickets to seal the crucial match.
The fourth day saw England put up a valiant effort, but the damage had largely been done earlier. Australia, confident of having batted England out of contention, inched closer to victory. The key question remains whether the English lower order can withstand the relentless pressure from the Australian attack led by Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
Australia’s Alex Carey shared his thoughts with broadcasters after the day’s play. “We don’t want to look too far ahead. We will reflect on our performance and come up with plans to win the game,” Carey said. Praising Nathan Lyon, he added, “He bowled with a lot of energy and got his wickets at crucial moments. Our bowlers have been hitting the right areas, and we hope to continue that tomorrow.”
The day was dominated by Australian spinners, particularly Lyon, who triggered England’s collapse. After England started at 177 for 3, Lyon dismissed Stokes and Crawley with brilliant spin, reducing them to 194 for 6. Jamie Smith and Will Jacks offered resistance but eventually succumbed to the relentless pressure. Cummins also struck after the restart, dismissing Joe Root for the 13th time in Tests, breaking a crucial 78-run partnership and regaining control.
Despite early setbacks, Crawley and Root mounted a spirited fightback, adding 78 runs in 24 overs after Tea, showing discipline and resilience against the Australian seamers. England had earlier stumbled to 4/1 before Pope’s lapse handed Labuschagne a stunning one-handed catch.
Earlier in the day, Travis Head and Alex Carey pushed Australia’s lead with a 162-run partnership, before Tongue and Archer cleaned up the tail, bowling Australia out for 349.
As the fifth day looms, Australia is well-placed to retain the Ashes, while England will need an extraordinary performance from their lower order to turn the match around. The final day promises intense action, with the first ball scheduled for 11:30 PM GMT on Sunday, December 21.