Travis Head's stellar 142* and his partnership with Alex Carey (52*) put Australia in a dominant position against England on Day 3 of the third Ashes Test. Australia leads by 356 runs, ending the day at 271/4.
A day of Test cricket which started with immense promise and hope for England courtesy a brilliant century partnership between skipper Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer ended as another gruelling day at work courtesy a century from hometown hero Travis Head and his partnerships with Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey, putting Australia in front at the end of day three of Ashes third Test at Adelaide Oval on Friday.
At the end of day three, England was 271/4, with Head (142*) and Carey (52*) unbeaten. They lead by 356 runs.
Head's century puts Australia in driver's seat
Australia started the final session at 119/2, with Head (68*) and Khawaja (27*) unbeaten and a lead of 204 runs.
Khawaja started off the final session with two back-to-back boundaries against Will Jacks, his trademark sweeps through the deep backward square leg. However, his attack did not last long as a top edge off his bat landed into the hands of wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, giving Will his wicket for a 51-ball 40, with four boundaries. Australia was three down at 139 in 35.1 overs.
Cameron Green, the 25.20 crores IPL buy for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), produced another single-digit score. Tempted to drive at an outside off-stump delivery by Josh Tongue, Green fell into the trap, and the catch went into the safe hands of Harry Brook at slips, dismissing him for seven. Australia was 149/4 in 36.5 overs.
Head started to build a partnership with Alex Carey and was dropped at 99 by Brook near the gully region. But a boundary off a delivery by Joe Root helped him reach his fourth successive Test ton at his home turf and his second in the ongoing series in 146 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. The lead exceeded 300 runs soon, with Head and Carey showing no signs of stopping. The duo collected boundaries effortlessly, bringing up their 100-run stand in 151 balls. After a century in the first innings, Carey reached his half-century in 84 balls, with four boundaries, and the lead exceeded the 350-run mark eventually, and stumps were called.
Australia builds lead in second session
At the end of the second session, Australia was 119/2, with Head (68*) and Khawaja (27*) unbeaten.
Australia started the second session at 17/1, with Head (5*) and Marnus Labuschagne (4*) unbeaten. Brydon Carse tested Marnus with an absolute scorcher. He and Jofra delivered probing spells in tandem and continued to ask questions to Aussies, unsettling Marnus with their line and lengths and the batter survived some close calls.
Head collected a couple of boundaries to keep the pressure off, but Marnus went into a shell at the other end. Australia reached the 50-run mark in 14.4 overs. Finally, it was Josh Tongue who got Marnus, who was suffocated by English bowlers during his 45-ball stay and scored just 13 runs, continuing his patchy form. A great low diving catch at slips from Harry Brook did the job for England. Australia was 53/2 in 16.3 overs.
Head and Usman Khawaja, two left-handers, collected three boundaries against Tongue and Will Jacks within the space of the next ten deliveries, easing off some pressure. The hometown hero Head brought his fifty with a classy pull through deep midwicket, in 72 balls, with five boundaries. Australia brought up their 100-run mark in 25.4 overs, and the duo reached their 50-run stand in 58 balls, keeping the scorecard ticking. An outlandish six over deep backward stay leg helped the Aussies cross the lead of 200 runs.
Stokes, Archer provide morning resistance
After England were bundled out for 286 runs in response to Australia's first innings total of 371, Australia ended the session at 17/1, with Travis Head (5*) and Marnus Labuschagne (4*) unbeaten.
England started their day three at 213/8, with skipper Stokes (45*) and Archer (30*) unbeaten. Stokes started with a beautiful extra cover drive in the first over and eventually reached a valiant fifty in 159 balls, with four boundaries.
After Stokes reached his milestone, he and Archer took a slightly attacking route with a couple of hits against Nathan Lyon, with Archer displaying the grit missing from the top order. With a single from Stokes, England reached the 250-run mark in 77.2 overs.
In the 82nd over, Stokes continued proving his worth as the ultimate miracle man, with two boundaries in a row against Aussie skipper Pat Cummins, bringing the century stand in 164 balls. Archer's grind paid dividends as he reached his maiden Test fifty in 97 balls, with five fours and a six. The partnership ended at 103 runs, with Mitchell Starc making a mess of Stokes's off stump with a wobble-seamed delivery. The skipper was gone for 83 in 198 balls, with eight fours. England was nine down for 274 runs in 84.1 overs.
With the lead finally under 100, Archer and Josh Tongue carried on for a while until Scott Boland cleaned up Archer for a 105-ball 51. England was all out for 286, trailing by 85 runs. Boland (3/45) and skipper Cummins (3/69) were the top bowlers for the Aussies.
Early strike for England in second innings
Starting off, Brydon Carse got England just what they wanted, removing Jake Weatherald for just one run. Aussies were down 8/1 in 1.3 overs. Jake was trapped lbw and given out despite the ball pitching outside the leg stump. A boundary from Marnus Labuschagne took the Aussies' lead above 100. Labuschagne and Head ensured England did not take another wicket.
Match Recap
Earlier, England ended the day two at 213/8, courtesy of a 45-run stand between Stokes and Archer. Despite Ben Duckett (29 in 30 balls, with five fours), Joe Root (19 in 31 balls, with three fours), Harry Brook (45 in 63 balls, with two fours and a six) and Jamie Smith (23 in 26 balls, with three fours and a six) getting starts, they just could not make it count, with England at 168/8 at one point till Stokes-Archer started a rescue act.
Australia won the toss and opted to bat first. After being reduced to 94/4 courtesy some incredible bowling from Archer, a 91-run stand between Usman Khawaja (82 in 126 balls, with 10 fours) and Alex Carey brought the Aussies back in the game. Carey went on to get his first Ashes ton, scoring 106 in 143 balls, with eight fours and a six. Starc (54 in 75 balls, with eight fours) also continued a dream run with the bat as the Aussies piled on 371 runs. Archer (5/53) was exceptional for England, while Brydon Carse and Tongue got a couple each.
Brief Scores
Brief Scores: Australia: 371 and 271/4 (Travis Head 142*, Alex Carey 52*, Josh Tongue 2/59) vs England: 286 (Ben Stokes 83, Jofra Archer 51, Scott Boland 3/45). (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)