Ashes: England's Josh Tongue claims four-fer on Test return
What's the story
England's chances of keeping the Ashes alive have been dealt a major blow after Australia set them a mammoth target of 435 runs to win the ongoing third Test at the Adelaide Oval. The hosts were all out for 349 in their second innings at the Adelaide Oval, with Travis Head scoring a brilliant 170 and Alex Carey contributing with a solid 72. Meanwhile, pacer Josh Tongue, playing his first game of the series, claimed a four-wicket haul.
Spell
Four wickets for Tongue
Tongue, who could only manage one wicket in the first innings of the game, trapped the likes of Marnus Labuschagne (13) and Cameron Green (7) cheaply in his following outing. His other two wickets in the innings came on Day 4 morning, as his victims were the well-set Head and Josh Inglis (10). Despite his efforts, the hosts posted a challenging 349/10.
Stats
Tongue races to 36 Test wickets
Tongue was the pick of the England bowlers in the third innings, claiming 4/70 from 18 overs. He has now raced to 36 wickets from seven Test matches at a decent average of 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.
Series lead
Australia dominate the Ashes series
Notably, Australia currently lead the five-match Ashes series 2-0. They will retain the urn if they win or draw the ongoing affair, having recorded back-to-back eight-wicket victories in Perth and Brisbane. England's batting lineup has struggled throughout the series, with key players falling to Australia's bowling attack. This has left them on the brink of defeat in this crucial Test match.