Australia retain Ashes with 82-run win over England in third Test

Australia retained the Ashes trophy after defeating England by 82 runs in the third Test at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday. The victory gave the hosts an unassailable 3–0 lead in the series, allowing them to retain the urn with two matches to spare.

Set a daunting world-record target of 435, England showed resistance and fought into the second session on the fifth day before being bowled out for 352. Mitchell Starc claimed three wickets, while Scott Boland took the final wicket to wrap up the contest.

Much of the pre-series discussion had focused on the age profile of the Australian squad, but Starc said the team’s senior players had once again demonstrated their value on the biggest stage.

"We do laugh at some of the comments that get back to us about how old we are," he said. "I'm sure experience plays a part going through your highs and lows .... That plays a big part in all of this."

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.

Though 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 2010/11.

All that was swept aside in Adelaide where England ditched their trademark aggression, reverted to more traditional test batting and were still beaten convincingly.

On day five, with England still needing 228 runs to win, Australia gave their front-line seamers a rest and had spinner Nathan Lyon and Cameron Green open the bowling against Will Jacks and Jamie Smith.

In Green's second over, Jacks turned his ankle when trying to push off his crease for a run and hobbled around for a time, a fitting symbol for England's stumbles in a flawed campaign.

It was not a start that engendered confidence and the pair scrapped unconvincingly for 40 minutes until rain halted play.

England fans cheered but it was just a passing squall, the ground bathed in sunshine within a half hour.

The Surrey duo brought up a fifty-run partnership with the old ball and were soon spared the challenge of spinner Lyon, who clutched his hamstring and came off the ground limping after cutting off a four near the rope at fine leg.  

When the second new ball came, Smith attacked with gusto, smashing both Pat Cummins and Starc for back-to-back fours.

But with the deficit trimmed to 150 runs, he threw the bat at left-arm quick Starc trying for a third successive boundary and lost his wicket for 60, his attempted slog caught by a back-pedalling Cummins at mid-on. 

Jacks played a steadier hand with tailender Carse, who survived a big lbw appeal off Starc before lunch.

Australia were left with one review after failing to over-turn the wicket as England went to the break after scoring 102 for one in the session.

Carse was given out lbw on 15 when Cummins rapped his pads but overturned the decision on review.

He thumped a six off the part-time spin of Travis Head, leaving home fans shifting uncomfortably in their seats.

The Jacks-Carse partnership left England needing 98 runs but Starc returned and 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 to take another terrific one-handed catch for the innings, having removed Ollie Pope with the first on day four.

Archer then tried to slog Starc but sent the ball down the throat of Weatherald at deep point to leave England one wicket from defeat, before Boland wrapped up the series win with Josh Tongue sending another edge to Labuschagne in the slips.