For a brief window on the third morning at Adelaide Oval, England dared to believe they could keep their Ashes campaign alive. That hope did not survive Travis Head on his home ground. Head’s second century of the series, scored with authority and familiarity in conditions he knows better than most, propelled Australia into a commanding 356-run lead and left the series all but decided, with a 3–0 retention now seeming inevitable.
Head’s innings was another chapter in his love affair with Adelaide. Dropped on 99 by Harry Brook at gully, he made England pay in full, bringing up a century that underlined his growing stature as an opener after his sudden promotion in Perth. Four of his 11 Test hundreds have now come at this venue, all in his last six innings here, placing him in elite company alongside Don Bradman, Michael Clarke and Steven Smith for scoring centuries in four consecutive Tests at the same ground.
This hundred may also go a long way towards cementing his future at the top of the order. It was his fourth Test century against England, and by stumps his career-best 175, also made in Adelaide, was firmly within sight.
England avoided an immediate collapse after resuming on the third day, having shown resilience late on day two. Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer had already added vital runs, and their 106-run stand meant Australia’s first-innings lead was only 85. For a time, the contest felt less one-sided than expected.
Australia were forced to take the second new ball to finish England’s innings, and Stokes once again teased with the possibility of something extraordinary before falling to Mitchell Starc for the 12th time in Tests. Soon after, Jake Weatherald was trapped lbw before lunch, though a review would have saved him as the ball pitched outside leg.
England briefly sensed an opening when Josh Tongue removed a scratchy Marnus Labuschagne, but that was as good as it got. Head and Usman Khawaja took control, adding 86 at a brisk pace, before Cameron Green and Khawaja fell in quick succession. Any hint of vulnerability disappeared almost instantly as Head joined forces with fellow South Australian Alex Carey.
What followed was a punishing final session. Australia piled on 152 runs in just 35 overs as Head and Carey put together an unbroken 122-run partnership. Carey capped another outstanding match with a half-century to complement his first-innings hundred, while England’s bowlers ran out of ideas and energy.
Head dominated square of the wicket, feasting on width outside off stump and handling England’s short-ball tactics with ease. He was less interested in hitting straight, instead pouncing on anything offered wide. When England turned to spin, Head skipped down the track to launch Will Jacks and then Joe Root over long-off, bringing up his century from 146 balls after a brief nervous spell in the 90s.
Jacks, who had retained his place after contributing with the bat earlier in the series, finished the day with bruising figures of 3 for 212 from 39 overs. Stokes did not bowl at all, while Archer’s tidy but largely toothless spell offered little threat.
Australia’s innings was not without minor concerns. Labuschagne’s dismissal echoed recent struggles, while Cameron Green endured another disappointing outing, edging Tongue to slip after a loose half-volley. His modest Test average at home continues to raise questions, especially with selection decisions looming ahead of Melbourne.
Earlier, England had at least shown fight. Resuming on 213 for 8, Stokes batted with far greater intent, reaching the slowest fifty of his career and briefly dragging the deficit below 100. Archer supported him superbly, striking his maiden Test half-century and helping to record the highest ninth-wicket stand in an Ashes Test in Australia since 1925.
But Australia always felt one moment away from finishing the job. That moment came when Starc finally struck, sending a wobble-seam delivery back through Stokes’ defence to uproot off stump. Stokes’ anguished reaction said it all. He had kept England afloat for a while, but by stumps, they were sinking once more — and Travis Head had made sure of it.
