Ashes, Adelaide Test: England 6 down, stare at series defeat
What's the story
England are on the verge of losing the Ashes series after a disappointing performance in the third Test. The team, chasing a daunting target of 435 runs, ended Day 4 at Adelaide Oval with a score of 207/6. Zak Crawley was their top scorer with a fighting knock of 85 runs off 151 balls. At stumps on Day 4, Jamie Smith (2*) and Will Jacks (11*) were unbeaten for England. Here are further details.
3rd innings
Australia ended their innings at 349/10
The day started with the Aussies resuming at their overnight total of 271/4. Travis Head (170) and Alex Carey (72) added some more runs to their overnight score before falling prey. The Aussie tail-enders could not do much as the innings ended at 349/10. This meant England were set a massive target of 435 runs. Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse shared seven wickets.
Match details
England's innings falters after promising start
England began their innings on a poor note as the likes of Ben Duckett (4) and Ollie Pope (17) were trapped cheaply. However, things took a turn as Crawley and Joe Root (39) added 78 runs before the latter was dismissed by Cummins. However, things took a turn when Root was dismissed, caught behind by Alex Carey off Pat Cummins. This was Cummins's 13th wicket of his nemesis, Root, who was caught nicking behind by Alex Carey.
Resilience
Crawley and Brook's partnership
After Root's dismissal, Harry Brook joined Crawley at the crease. The duo put up a solid fight with Crawley reaching his half-century in 102 balls. Their partnership was worth 50 runs before Brook (30) was dismissed by Nathan Lyon while trying to reverse sweep. This left England struggling at 177/4 in 47.2 overs with a mountain to climb ahead of them.
Collapse
England's innings collapses
England's innings took another hit as they lost skipper Ben Stokes (5) and Crawley in quick succession. This left them reeling at 194/6 in 53.3 overs. Despite the collapse, Smith (2*) and Jacks (11*) held fort for England in the final session of play. Lyon (3/64) and Cummins (3/24) were the pick of the bowlers with three wickets each to their name, putting Australia on course for a potential series victory.
Head
Head gets to 12,000 runs in First-Class cricket
Head was dismissed for 170 off 219 balls, a knock laced with 16 fours and two sixes. During his stay, Head reached the landmark of 12,000 runs in First-Class cricket, as per ESPNcricinfo. Playing his 177th match, the southpaw has raced to 12,022 runs, averaging 40-plus. He has now taken his Test tally to 4,342 Test runs at 42.99 (100s: 11, 50s: 20).
Adelaide
An average of 81.40 in Adelaide
As per ESPNcricinfo, this was Head's fourth Test hundred in Adelaide (50s: 2). Only Michael Clarke (7) and Ricky Ponting (6) have more Test tons here. Across eight Tests and 10 innings in Adelaide, Head has returned with 814 runs at a tremendous average of 81.40. Meanwhile, Head has a tally of 1,289 Ashes runs at 44.44 (100s: 4, 50s: 5).
Carey
Carey completes 6,000 runs in First-Class cricket
Carey, who made 106 off 143 balls on Day 1, made 72 off 128 balls in his next outing. Carey completed 6,000 FC runs with his 143rd run in the match. Playing his 104th match, the southpaw has raced to 6,035 runs at an average of 37-plus. His tally includes 12 tons and 33 fifties.
Elite list
Carey joins these names
As per Cricbuzz, Carey became the fourth keeper with fifty-plus scores in both innings of an Ashes Test. During his stay, Carey also brought up 1,000 runs in home Tests. He has now raced to 1,059 runs at 36.51 (100s: 2, 50s: 6). Overall, Carey has amassed 2,277 Test runs at 36.72. His tally includes 13 half-centuries and three tons.
Tongue
Josh Tongue claims four-fer on Test return
Josh Tongue, playing his first game of the series, was the pick of the England bowlers in the third innings, claiming 4/70 from 18 overs. He has now raced to 36 Test wickets at 29.55. The pacer now owns two fifers and as many four-fers in England whites. 10 of his wickets have come in two Ashes Tests at 28.50.
Carse
Carse gets to 50 Test wickets
Carse recorded a total of five wickets in the game as his figures read 3/80 and 2/89. The pacer has now raced to 50 wickets from 12 Tests at an average of 29.88. His tally includes three four-fers, one fifer, and a match 10-fer. Notably, 41 of his wickets have come in away Tests at a fine average of 23.07.
Crawley
Crawley completes 3,500 Test runs with 85-run knock
Crawley's 151-ball 85 had eight fours. This took his Test tally past 3,500 runs. The batter has racked up 3,527 runs at an average of 31.77. His tally includes 21 half-centuries and 5 tons. 860 of his runs have come in 11 Ashes Tests at 40.95 (100: 1, 50s: 5). The batter averages 31.66 in Tests Down Under, having scored 380 runs at 31.66.
Cummins
Cummins only second to Imran Khan
Cummins, who claimed 3/69 in the second innings, finished Day 4 with 3/23 from 10 overs. During his spell, the pacer became only the second captain to complete 150 wickets in Test cricket. He has joined former Pakistan fast bowler Imran Khan (187). Playing his 38th Test as captain, the pacer has raced to 151 wickets at a sensational average of 22-plus (5W: 14).
DYK
Cummins surpasses Mitchell Johnson's record
Cummins's achievement also saw him surpass legendary pacer Mitchell Johnson as the bowler with the sixth-most wickets for Australia in Tests. Playing his 72nd Test, Cummins has raced to 315 wickets at 22-plus (5W: 14, 10WM: 2). In the Ashes, Cummins has raced to a tally of 97 wickets from 20 matches at an average of 23.57.
Cummins vs Root
Cummins's record against Joe Root
Cummins dismissed Root across both innings - taking his tally to 13 Test dismissals against the batter. No other bowler even owns 12 such dismissals. Overall, he has removed Root 16 times across international cricket, surpassing Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has dismissed the English batter 15 times in all three formats.