Australia seal Ashes in 11 Days with Adelaide test win, lead England 3–0

Australia wrapped up the Ashes in ruthless style at the Adelaide Oval, beating England by 82 runs to take an unassailable 3–0 lead in the five-match series, with two Tests still to play. The urn was retained inside just 11 days of cricket, making it one of the joint fastest Ashes decisions in more than a century.

Chasing a daunting 435 in the fourth innings, England were bowled out for 352 in the final session on day five, underlining Australia’s complete control in a series that has steadily slipped away from the visitors.

Australia’s grip on the match was built on strong middle order contributions in the first innings. Under early pressure, Alex Carey showed composure to compile a vital 106, while Usman Khawaja added a fluent 82 as the hosts reached 371.

England replied with 286, conceding an 85-run deficit despite resistance from captain Ben Stokes, who struck a fighting 83, and a counter attacking 51 from Jofra Archer. Reflecting on the emotional toll of the loss later, Stokes admitted the dream they arrived with was now over. “Everyone’s hurting and quite emotional about it. It hurts and it sucks, but we’re not going to stop,” he said, stressing that England would continue to fight in the remaining Tests.

The match tilted decisively in Australia’s favor in the second innings. Travis Head produced a commanding 170 off 219 balls, combining control with aggression to bat England out of the contest. Carey continued his fine match with a composed 72 as Australia posted 349 and stretched the lead beyond reach.

Australia captain Pat Cummins said the result reflected patience and sustained pressure rather than quick gains. “You can’t rush things here in Australia. A lot of the time it’s an old-fashioned grind,” Cummins said, praising his team’s ability to stay composed even when England pushed back.

England showed flashes of belief in the chase. Zak Crawley’s fluent 85 at the top briefly raised hopes, while Jamie Smith’s 60, Will Jacks’ 47 and Brydon Carse’s unbeaten 38 delayed the inevitable. But a cluster of wickets after lunch on the final day ended any realistic chance of a record pursuit.

Australia’s bowlers ensured there was no late escape. Cummins led from the front with match figures of 6 for 117, Mitchell Starc chipped in with crucial lower order runs and claimed three wickets in the final innings, while Nathan Lyon’s 3 for 77 shut down England’s last resistance.

The Adelaide victory followed comfortable Australian wins in Perth and Brisbane and highlighted England’s struggles, with the visitors crossing 300 only twice in six completed innings so far.

By moving 3–0 ahead, Australia not only retained the Ashes before Christmas but also extended their recent dominance, having already won the urn in 2021–22 and successfully defended it in the drawn 2023 series.