Australia has swept to an 82-run win in the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval to retain the urn with two matches to spare and leave England facing recriminations over another failed campaign.
Chasing a world record 435 runs to win on Sunday, England battled doggedly on day five but folded for 352 with left-armed quick Mitchell Starc taking three wickets and Scott Boland the last dismissal of Josh Tongue before tea.
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“Three-nil is hugely satisfying for many reasons but particularly with how the chat before the series was how equally poised it was going to be,” Australia captain Pat Cummins, who took six wickets on his return from a back injury, told reporters
“This group’s amazing at just cracking on.”
Much of the talk in the build-up to the Ashes had been the age profile of the Australia squad, but Starc said the veterans had proved their worth.
“We do laugh at some of the comments that get back to us about how old we are,” the 35-year-old said.
“I’m sure experience plays a part going through your highs and lows. … That plays a big part in all of this.”
After eight-wicket defeats in Perth and Brisbane, England have now lost the Ashes in three matches for the fourth consecutive tour while losing 16 of their last 18 Tests in the country.
Although two Tests remain, the latest surrender may top the previous tours for sheer disappointment.
There were expectations of a genuine contest, fighting words from England captain Ben Stokes and hope that “Bazball” might win the urn in Australia for the first time since 2010-2011.
All that was swept aside in Adelaide, where England ditched their trademark aggression, reverted to more traditional Test batting and were still beaten convincingly.
“We obviously came here with a goal in mind, and we haven’t been able to achieve it. It hurts, and it sucks,” England skipper Stokes said.
“They’ve been able to outdo us on a much higher level. … I thought we did incredibly well to take us where we did in this fourth innings.
“We couldn’t do what we came here to do, but there was some good stuff to come out of this game.”
The king of Adelaide
On day five while still needing 228 runs to win, England’s hopes were pinned on all-rounder Will Jacks and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith after they resumed on 207 for six.
Jacks turned his ankle when pushing off his crease for a run but battled on for 40 minutes until rain halted play.
England fans cheered, but it was just a passing squall, the ground soon bathed in sunshine.
The Surrey duo brought up a fifty-run partnership with the old ball and were soon spared spinner Nathan Lyon, who came off with a hamstring injury after cutting off a four in the field.
When the second new ball came, Smith attacked with gusto, smashing both Cummins and Starc for back-to-back fours.
But with the deficit trimmed to 150 runs, he threw the bat at a Starc delivery for a third time in succession and was caught for 60 by a back-pedalling Cummins at mid-on.
Jacks played a steadier hand with tailender Carse, who finished 39 not out and hung tough with the all-rounder for 52 runs.
Home fans shifted uncomfortably in their seats as the pair reduced the deficit to under 100 runs, but Starc returned and Marnus Labuschagne flew in the slips to snuff out the danger.
Jacks, on 47, drove at a Starc ball that moved away off the seam, and Labuschagne dived to his left for another terrific one-handed catch, having removed Ollie Pope with a screamer in the slips on day four.
Jofra Archer then tried to slog Starc but sent the ball down the throat of Jake Weatherald at deep point to leave England one wicket from defeat before Boland had Tongue sending another slips catch to Labuschagne.
Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey was named Man of the Match for a first-innings 106 and 72 in the second while Travis Head set up the victory with 170 in the third innings, his fourth consecutive Test ton at Adelaide Oval.
“If he wasn’t before, he’s the king of Adelaide,” Starc said of Head, who also scored a match-winning 123 in Perth.
“He’s not going to have to pay for another beer [here]. I don’t know how he does it, but jeez, it’s bloody good to watch.”
