Key events
59th over: Australia 230-4 (Head 122, Carey 32) It’s hard to tie down Travis Head for too long and he flicks Carse through midwicket for two, then guides the ball to third for a boundary. Root denies Carey a boundary at long-on with a desperate chase, as Head denies his partner four all-run from the same stroke as he is now barely breaking into a jog.
58th over: Australia 220-4 (Head 115, Carey 29) Jacks gets away with a full toss as Head mis-times a clip off his pads and has to settle for a single. That’s the first time the Australia opener has shown any sign of frustration since the teabreak at least.
57th over: Australia 219-4 (Head 114, Carey 29) The Australia pair are set and seem to have no intention of letting England back into the game with little more than half-an-hour to play before stumps. Head eases Carse down to third for a single before Carey defends four deliveries with a classically vertical bat.
Guy Hornsby is right on the money with all the talk of England “drifting”.
“Feels like the game is drifting here,” he says. “Not that it was in our hands much at any point, but the tail end batting and getting Australia to 149-4 felt hopeful of something. It would be no surprise if Stokes was carrying a niggle at least, because so much rests on him anyway, even before his batting and bowling this Test. You have to wonder what happens when (not if) we lose this Test. We may shuffle bowlers, but there’s no jeopardy for the batting line up.
“I’d like to see Bethell, but I could see McCullum bloodymindedly pick the same top 7 all winter. Which, I’m afraid, is part of the problem when you have deliberately cultivated a group with no real alternatives for so long. Sigh.”
At least Freddie knows where he is heading. Joshua Keeling seems to be all over the place …
“Am I mad for thinking England can still win this*? *Yes I am.”
Will Jacks has one for 77 from his 14 overs in this innings while England edge closer and closer to the point where they might be left to ponder what might have been. Freddie Simon has perhaps already reached that destination, before he sets off on a bike in Berlin …
“I see Will Jacks being thwacked for 5.75 per over, and think of those hundreds of overs that Liam Dawson bowled for less than 2 per over in this year’s County Championship, and my brain starts to overheat. I just don’t vibe with the reasoning that players who are not particularly good at domestic long format cricket will magically be good at Test matches.
“About to cycle through the dark to work in Berlin and feeling grateful for the Australian summer; there is heat and warmth somewhere in the world.”
56th over: Australia 218-4 (Head 113, Carey 29) Head has been playing within himself even after reaching an 11th Test century. Now he begins the over dancing down the track to crack Jacks over cover for four. He pulls out a sweep for a single and Carey needs little invitation to do the same.
55th over: Australia 211-4 (Head 107, Carey 28) Carse continues to Head as the Australia opener mis-times a couple of square drives before finding a gap in the same area for one.
54th over: Australia 210-4 (Head 106, Carey 28) Jacks is back and bowling around the wicket to Head. The off-spinner keeps the batter guessing with varying length before Heads ends a cautious over with a single to point.
53rd over: Australia 209-4 (Head 105, Carey 28) Carse replaces Archer who was unable to find a breakthrough during an otherwise impressive five-over spell. Head sneaks a single but if he unloads over the next hour the game could be taken out of England hands.
52nd over: Australia 208-4 (Head 104, Carey 28) Travis Head soaks up the applause as he makes it four centuries in as many consecutive Tests at Adelaide Oval. Head was unusually nervous in the 90s, but the floodgates could open from here.
Travis Head reaches a century
The hometown hero is done waiting as he smacks a fuller delivery down the ground to bring up his fourth century in as many Tests at Adelaide Oval with a boundary. It has been more of a fighting hundred than one for the highlight reels, but that has made it all the sweeter. Head has faced 146 deliveries and hit eight boundaries and two sixes. He bows down and kisses the turf in the middle of his home ground.
51st over: Australia 202-4 (Head 99, Carey 27) Head dropped on 99! He slashes hard at a wider ball from Archer and picks out Brook at gully. Brook didn’t even need to move as he crouched down but the ball popped out of his hands. The Australia opener has faced eight deliveries and been given a life since moving to just one run short of a ton.
50th over: Australia 201-4 (Head 99, Carey 26) Head starts the over with a crunching drive for two to move to within one run of a century. The field moves in and Root ties Head down to make him wait a little longer. Australia move past 200 but the crowd is full of voice waiting for another particular milestone.
49th over: Australia 199-4 (Head 97, Carey 26) Head works a shorter delivery away for a single to midwicket that brings up the 50-run partnership for the hometown duo. And that’s drinks with Australia leading by 284 runs.
48th over: Australia 197-4 (Head 96, Carey 25) Carey is in sublime touch and deserves more than one run from a late cut. Stokes cops a bouncing ball on the bonce and ends the over racing from the field.
47th over: Australia 193-4 (Head 93, Carey 24) A quality over from Archer to Carey. The England quick almost cuts the in-form batter in half with a delivery that jags back from outside off.
Brian Withington has tuned into the game during his morning only to find what he describes as “horrible viewing”. He’s not done there …
“This passage of play after Green’s dismissal has been as disappointing as I can recall in recent years. I truly hope appearances are deceptive but England look resigned to inevitable defeat with scarcely a flicker of resistance.”
I have to agree that there have been a lot of strange bowling choices this afternoon, from persisting with Jacks for too long, to England taking their time to throw the ball to Archer. And then there is Stokes, who is yet to bowl in this innings with the Ashes genuinely on the line. Maybe the captain has a niggle or more, after all.
46th over: Australia 193-4 (Head 93, Carey 24) Carey brings out his trusty sweep to start the Root over with two runs to fine leg. The Australia pair then rotate the strike three times without any real danger.
45th over: Australia 188-4 (Head 92, Carey 20) Archer pushes beyond 140km/h as the England quick forces both batters to play watchfully. The tourists needed to stop the flow of runs if they are to keep their Ashes hopes alive, and the threat of Archer looks like their best bet to do that at this stage. Carey ends the over with a single to deep point.
44th over: Australia 187-4 (Head 92, Carey 19) Head steps down the track and looks to clip Root onto the legside but is beaten in flight to slice the shot just short of long-off. It’s almost like Head gets a bit bored when the runs aren’t flowing but he ends the over with a relatively composed 92 runs from 130 deliveries.
43rd over: Australia 182-4 (Head 90, Carey 16) Jofra Archer returns for just his sixth over of the innings after a long stint at the crease while reaching a first Test fifty earlier in the day. A loosener down leg clips Carey’s thigh and flies out of the reach of Jamie Smith to the boundary. Archer ends the over nudging closer to 140km/h but might take a little while to get going.
42nd over: Australia 177-4 (Head 90, Carey 15) Root takes over from Jacks with England increasingly desperate to shake up the Australia innings. Three singles from the over all picked up to midwicket.
41st over: Australia 174-4 (Head 89, Carey 13) This has been an impressive spell from Josh Tongue but Alex Carey, in the form that he’s in, doesn’t need much to go wrong for the bowler to punch a drive through cover to the boundary.
Hard not to agree with Gervase Greene as England let the game drift along again even after snaring a couple of quick wickets.
“Any reason why Ben Stokes isn’t bowling? Fair enough he’s not quite the great bowler he once was, but 238 Test wickets suggests he knows a thing or three about the caper. I get that his gutsy batting this morning required some recuperation, but this game is on the line right now. He can’t afford to wait for the new ball … and for that matter nor should Jofra.”
I’m led to believe that Stokes is fit to bowl. And I therefore have no real answer to Gervase’s query.
40th over: Australia 169-4 (Head 89, Carey 8) Jacks has a partnership-breaking wicket to his name but surely must be ready for a rest. Not much on offer for the England spinner as Australia pick up seven runs without any real effort. It would’ve been a couple of runs worse but for a desperate dive on the rope from Ben Duckett to end the over.
39th over: Australia 162-4 (Head 85, Carey 5) Alex Carey is coming off a first-innings ton and looks just like a batter in form as he gets off the mark with an exquisite square drive to the boundary. Josh Tongue trying to cramp Carey with a fielder under the lid on the leg side.
38th over: Australia 156-4 (Head 84, Carey 0) SIX! Travis Head ignores any suggestion that the pressure is back on Australia as he steps down the pitch to crack a straight drive over Jacks and the rope.
37th over: Australia 149-4 (Head 77, Carey 0) A ripping over from Josh Tongue and an overreach from Cameron Green brings England right back into the game. A pair of South Australians are now at the crease together and will have other ideas.
WICKET! Green c Brook b Tongue 7 (Australia 149-4)
One brings two and back-to-back failures for Cameron Green as he is caught at slip after driving away from his body. The Australian was almost out the previous ball playing a similar shot but in the end a sharp catch from Brook diving to his left sends Green on his way.
36th over: Australia 147-3 (Head 76, Green 7) Jacks might never be a frontline spinner but he has again shown that he can, somehow, pick up a wicket against the run of play. That was as much, if not more, down to Khawaja’s lack of footwork before his full-blooded cut shot. Cameron Green comes to the crease on a pair but is gifted a freebie first ball that he sends through cover to the rope.
WICKET! Khawaja c Smith b Jacks 40 (Australia 139-3)
Oh, Usman, what have you done? Khawaja swipes at a half-tracker from Jacks that spins far and wide of the off-stump, but a top-edge flicks the ball into Jamie Smith’s gloves. A nightmare dismissal.
35th over: Australia 139-2 (Head 75, Khawaja 40) Head fights his instincts as Tongue continues bowling bouncers before finally giving into temptation with a hook. A top-edge lifts the ball into the air but it falls safely short of the fielder on the rope. That might be a warning to Head though.
34th over: Australia 136-2 (Head 74, Khawaja 38) Head is being somewhat contained by the short-ball strategy but the shackles are off at the other end. An on-drive almost collects Khawaja on its way to the boundary before Jacks bounces back as he finds a better length and some turn.
33rd over: Australia 132-2 (Head 70, Khawaja 38) Josh Tongue takes the ball from the opposite end and tests Travis Head with a series of shorter balls. No surprise that Head is up for the fight, moving all around the crease. He finally makes proper contact for a single to deep point.
32nd over: Australia 131-2 (Head 69, Khawaja 38) I’m going to need someone to explain to me why on earth England have thrown Will Jacks the ball to begin the third session? The part-time spinner has the ball pitching all over the place as Khawaja immediately finds two through midwicket then plunders back-to-back boundaries. 12 from the over and an ideal way for Australia to resume their innings after tea.
England gather around the boundary as they prepare for the latest in their long list of “sessions that will define their series”. But this time it feels real, as only a string of wickets that help contain the Australia lead can keep their Ashes hopes alive. Here we go …
Travis Head’s love affair with Adelaide Oval continues as he adds a fifty to the three centuries he has made in as many previous visits to his home venue. The Australia opener has moved up and down through the gears in his composed knock, and put on 63 runs from 89 balls during the second session as the hosts built on their lead. Usman Khawaja has discovered a new freedom since moving to No 4 for this Test and after a quick start looked comfortable while easing to 27 not out at tea.
Josh Tongue picked up the only wicket of the session with Marnus Labuschagne caught in slip for a hard-earned 13, but Brydon Carse was the most threatening of the England bowlers at least until he returned to a short-ball strategy.
Tea: Australia 119-2
31st over: Australia 119-2 (Head 68, Khawaja 27) SIX! Travis Head takes on the shorter ball even with tea in sight as he lifts Carse behind square and beyond Zak Crawley standing on the rope. That takes Australia’s lead to 204 runs as Head continues to attack Carse without any further reward. The hosts lose one wicket for the session as they pull away to an ominous lead.
30th over: Australia 113-2 (Head 62, Khawaja 27) Joe Root races through another over to ensure England sneak in one more before tea. Khawaja clips two off his pads before both batters pick up a single on the off-side.
29th over: Australia 109-2 (Head 61, Khawaja 24) England stack fielders around the boundary on the legside with Carse digging the ball in short to Head. The Australia opener ducks under a couple then punches a single to cover. Khawaja cops a nasty delivery that rises sharply off a good length but manages to keep the ball down to sneak a single. A better over from Carse.
28th over: Australia 107-2 (Head 60, Khawaja 23) Joe Root joins the attack with England needing a spark – let alone a wicket – on the cusp of tea. Head comfortably cuts the first ball through point for a single, as both batters add one more to their score without too much concern.
27th over: Australia 104-2 (Head 58, Khawaja 22) Carse continues and is back to digging the ball in short too often. A curious tactic when England need wickets to stay in the game – and series. Head picks up a single on the offside as Joe Root spins the arms.
As this innings begins to show all the signs of drifting away from England, Edward poses an interesting question from Germany: “5C here in Mannheim and missing the Australian heat. Quick question: is Australia the worst test team in reviewing decisions both in terms of success rate and when deciding to review?”
Without having the stats around that to hand, the eye test (and fading memory) certainly suggests there is plenty of room for improvement. Weatherald failing to review his dismissal earlier in the day seems likely to be down to a lack of confidence from the new kid on the block – perhaps an easier issue to address that processes under pressure in the middle.
26th over: Australia 103-2 (Head 57, Khawaja 22) Time for a change as Jacks loses his length and the Australia pair punish anything dropping short. But Head almost presents Root with an improbable chance at first slip as he slices a late cut off a top-edge. The ball races away to the boundary and Australia take 10 from the over.
25th over: Australia 93-2 (Head 51, Khawaja 18) Fifty for Travis Head for the sixth time on his home deck at Adelaide Oval. The local hero swivels on the back foot to crack the ball through mid-on to bring up his milestone with a fifth boundary of the innings. Carse has been better while bowling fuller in this innings, but Head shows how fine the margins are when punishing anything just back of a good length.
24th over: Australia 88-2 (Head 47, Khawaja 17) Will Jacks continues as Ben Stokes unusually holds himself back even with the Australia pair looking increasingly comfortable. Three singles from the over without any real risk taken.
23rd over: Australia 85-2 (Head 46, Khawaja 15) Brydon Carse replaces Tongue after being the pick of the England bowlers early on. Jofra Archer understandably started the second Australia innings bowling a bit off his top pace, after a long stint at the crease and a first Test fifty, but he is right in the contest and dives at mid-off to prevent a likely boundary.
22nd over: Australia 83-2 (Head 45, Khawaja 14) A better over from Jacks but England need wickets and the off-spinner is barely threatening either batter. A couple of singles from the over.
21st over: Australia 81-2 (Head 44, Khawaja 13) Head hammers a drive through cover and his wry grin is almost the exact opposite of Ben Stokes’ anguished face as the ball sits up in the air just long enough to give England a glimmer of hope. But the Australia opener is finding the gaps now and he almost adds another boundary with a straight drive if not for the ball crashing into the stumps at the non-striker’s end.
20th over: Australia 76-2 (Head 40, Khawaja 12) Head goes searching outside his off-stump as Jacks gets a ripper to drift and turn away from the left-hander. That was very nearly something out of nothing! Four singles from the over as both batters ease away anything directed towards their pads.
19th over: Australia 72-2 (Head 38, Khawaja 10) Head has been getting into his groove for a while and now controls a slice over slips to the deep third rope. Both batters look comfortable knocking Tongue away for singles as the runs flow for Australia even with a new batter at the crease.
18th over: Australia 64-2 (Head 32, Khawaja 9) England persist with Will Jacks even with a new batter at the crease. The spinner continues to leak runs, just as he did in the first innings, and Khawaja doesn’t let a loose delivery down the leg-side go to waste as he sweeps to the boundary.
17th over: Australia 57-2 (Head 30, Khawaja 4) Josh Tongue gets the breakthrough after several close calls for Marnus Labuschagne to bring Usman Khawaja to the crease at the unfamiliar No 4 spot. The now 39-year-old seemed comfortable batting in the position during the first innings, and this time is allowed to get off the mark when punishing a wide delivery with a cut to the rope.
Martin Pegan
Thanks Rob. We actually have a contest on our hands – which, I must admit, is far from what I was expecting this morning, and certainly would not have predicted this time yesterday. England have had their tails up even after being dismissed for 286 with Brydon Carse in particular finding a nice rhythm with the ball while Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne had to dig in after lunch. This is the sort of scenario that England have too often failed to make the most of throughout this series, but with Labuschagne on his way the momentum might just be about to swing once again.
I’ll be guiding us through to stumps. Send us your predictions, thought bubbles and other musings with an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X. Drinks are done, here we go …
Drinks With that, I’ll hand you over to Martin Pegan for the rest of the day’s play. Thanks for your company, see you soon.
WICKET! Australia 53-2 (Labuschagne c Brook b Tongue 13)
Josh Tongue strikes with a ripper! Labuschagne was surprised by some extra bounce and fenced the ball to slip, where Brook got both hands under the ball to take a lovely catch.
The umpires checked the catch, a wise course of action in this game, but it was clear from the first replay that Brook took it cleanly. Australia lead by 138 and England are still fighting.
16th over: Australia 53-1 (Head 30, Labuschagne 13) Another mixed over from Jacks – but when he gets it right, he is a real threat. Head pushes nervously at a lovely offbreak and edges fractionally short of the diving Brook at slip. That was close.