Australia has retained the Ashes with two Tests to spare, defeating England by 82 runs on day five at the Adelaide Oval. The victory gives the hosts an unassailable 3-0 series lead, marking the fourth consecutive tour where England has lost the series after just three matches.
Pat Cummins’ side needed only 11 days of cricket across Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide to secure the urn, equalling the speed of the Australian teams of the early 2000s. Chasing a world-record target of 435, the visitors were bowled out for 352 in the second session, despite a spirited fight from their lower order.
England resumed the final day needing 228 runs but faced immediate setbacks with a 40-minute rain delay and Will Jacks rolling his ankle. Despite these hurdles, Jacks, 47, and Jamie Smith, 60 frustrated the Australian attack, forging a 91-run partnership that briefly quieted the home crowd. The hosts were dealt a blow when spinner Nathan Lyon limped off the field with a hamstring injury after cutting off a boundary.
However, the introduction of the second new ball changed the complexion of the game. Smith, who had attacked with gusto to reach his maiden Ashes fifty, eventually fell trying to force a third consecutive boundary off Mitchell Starc, skewing a catch to Cummins at mid-on.
Mitchell Starc, who finished with three wickets in the innings, proved decisive in breaking England's resolve. Following Smith’s dismissal, England found some stability through Brydon Carse, but Starc returned to remove the steadfast Jacks.
Marnus Labuschagne took a spectacular diving one-handed catch in the slips to claim the wicket. From there, the tail folded quickly; Jofra Archer was caught at deep point off Starc, and Scott Boland claimed the final wicket of Josh Tongue to seal the victory at 2:13 pm.
The win vindicated Australia's reliance on their experienced core, a point emphasized by Starc after the match. "We do laugh at some of the comments that get back to us about how old we are," Starc said. "I’m sure experience plays a part going through your highs and lows... That plays a big part in all of this."
Conversely, England captain Ben Stokes admitted the result was a bitter pill to swallow for a team that arrived with high hopes for their "Bazball" approach. "The dream that we came here with is now over, which is obviously incredibly disappointing. It hurts and it sucks, but we’re not going to stop," Stokes said. "Australia have been able to execute things on a much more consistent basis than us... and they’ve outdone us on a much higher level."
The anticipation of a genuine contest has dissolved into the familiar narrative of an Australian procession, with the tourists reverting to a more traditional, tentative style in Adelaide that still resulted in a convincing loss. With the series decided, the focus shifts to the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne on December 26, where England will fight to avoid further humiliation