In a stunning reversal of pre-series expectations, Australia’s cricket team has secured the Ashes urn with two matches remaining, delivering a decisive 3-0 lead against what was widely regarded as England’s strongest squad since 2011. The victory comes despite veteran English bowler Stuart Broad’s characterization of this Australian lineup as “the worst to contest the Ashes in Australia” since England’s last victorious tour Down Under.
The pivotal moment arrived during the third test at Adelaide Oval, where Australia claimed an 82-run victory despite England’s determined final-day comeback attempt. Chasing a world record target of 435 runs, England was ultimately dismissed for 352, drawing a total crowd of 223,638 spectators across the five-day contest.
This triumph is particularly remarkable given Australia’s significant personnel challenges. Captain Pat Cummins missed the first two tests due to back injury recovery, while Josh Hazlewood was ruled out for the entire series. The bowling attack saw Mitchell Starc emerge as the sole consistent member of Australia’s regular pace trio, with offspinner Nathan Lyon also being dropped for the second test.
Starc rose to the occasion with two man-of-the-match performances, claiming 22 wickets in the series and 51 for the calendar year. “We just found a way, which I think is a feature of this group over a number of years now,” Starc remarked. “Even at times where it’s not going our way, we can find a way to get ourselves over the line.
The batting order also demonstrated remarkable resilience. With Steve Smith leading in Cummins’ absence initially before being ruled out of the third test due to vertigo, Usman Khawaja was rushed back into the lineup. Travis Head’s promotion to opener resulted in a match-winning century in the first test and a spectacular 170 on his home ground in Adelaide.
Cummins praised the team’s adaptable mentality: “You just kind of crack on. Even though I missed the first couple of games, Steve stepped right in. It was smooth, seamless. The boys go, ‘OK, that’s happened, let’s crack on, what’s next?’ That’s one of the big reasons why we’ve had success over the last couple of years.”
As the teams prepare for the Melbourne test starting Boxing Day, Australia eyes the possibility of a 5-0 series sweep, while England continues its drought of 16 losses and two draws without a win on Australian soil since 2011.