The Ashes: Australia seal series win over England by going 3-0 up with third Test victory in Adelaide | Cricket News

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England’s dismal Ashes series defeat was confirmed as Australia cruised to an 82-run victory on the final day of the third Test in Adelaide.

After comfortable wins in Perth and Brisbane, the result gave Australia an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series after just 11 days of cricket, equaling the shortest period in which an Ashes team has been decided in the last 100 years.

Having started Sunday on 207-6, England showed fight as Jimmy Smith (60), Will Jacks (47) and Brydon Carse (38 not out) gave the tourists hope, but Mitchell Starc (3-62) pushed Australia to the brink of victory before Scott Boland dismissed Josh Tonge to bowl England out for 352 in their quest for a record 435 to win.

Having reclaimed the Ashes from England in 2017, Australia have now retained the famous urn on four successive occasions, drawing two away matches and winning twice at home.

The defeat in Adelaide means England are winless in their last 18 away matches in Ashes Tests, with the home side winning 16 since the tourists’ last win on Australian soil in 2011.

Score summary – Australia v England, 3rd Ashes Test

Australia 371 all out after 91.2 overs in first innings (elected to bat): Alex Carey (106 off 143 balls), Usman Khawaja (82 off 126), Mitchell Starc (54 off 75); Jofra Archer (5-53)

England 286 after 87.2 overs in the first innings: Ben Stokes (83 off 198 balls), Jofra Archer (51 off 105), Harry Brook (45 off 63); Scott Bolland (3-45), Pat Cummins (3-69)

Australia 349 all out after 84.4 overs in the second innings: Travis Head (170 off 219 balls), Alex Carey (72 off 128), Usman Khawaja (40 off 51); Josh Tong (4-70), Braydon Carrs (3-80)

England 352 all out after 102.5 overs in the second innings: Zak Crawley (85 off 151 balls), Jimmy Smith (60 off 83), Will Jacks (47 off 137); Pat Cummins (3-48), Mitchell Starc (3-62), Nathan Lyon (3-77)

England were on the defensive after being subjected to fantastic batting conditions on day two at Adelaide Oval to surrender an 85-run first innings lead.

Australia’s second innings total of 349 – led by Travis Head’s impressive 170 and first innings centurion Alex Carey’s 72 – left the home side with just over five sessions to bowl over an England team that had passed 300 only once in five previous attempts on the tour.

England reached 177-3 to keep alive their hopes of a Christmas Test miracle, but Lyon took three quick wickets on Saturday evening to lose by just 17 runs to end the contest.

Having won the last two home matches of the Ashes series 4-0, Australia will resume their bid to claim a first whitewash since 2013-14 when the fourth Test begins in Melbourne on Boxing Day, before the contest draws to a close in Sydney from January 4-8.

More to follow…