The Ashes: England beaten by Australia in Adelaide to lose another series down under
England’s Bazball project is in shambles after another Ashes in Australia was lost in three Tests.
The tourists were beaten by 82 runs on the fifth day of the third Test in Adelaide, going down 3-0 and extending their winless run in this country to 18 matches.
There was a 40-minute delay due to heavy rain in Australia, the England duo of Jamie Smith and Will Jacks and a hamstring injury to spinner Nathan Lyon.
Smith had 60 points when he miscued Mitchell Starc. The Jacks battled back for 47 after lunch and then bowled the same bowler to first slip, where Marnus Labuschagne again took a stunning catch.
When Josh Tongue brought on Scott Boland for Labuschagne, England were all out for 352 and their misery in this country has stretched to 14 years and counting.
This was supposed to be England’s opportunity to finally compete in Australia, the most anticipated Ashes of recent times.
Instead it turned out to be the worst tour in recent times and the futures of captain Ben Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key were left in doubt.
England have given up the chance to win the Ashes in just 11 days of cricket and now need to find a result in either Melbourne or Sydney to avoid the ultimate humiliation of a 5-0 clean sheet.
This is the fourth consecutive Ashes tour in which England have lost the first three Tests. When Australia visit England in 2027, it will be 12 years since England last won an Ashes series.
By then, who will be in charge of England will be in play for intense debate. Stokes and McCullum have contracts until the end of this series. While Key theoretically has the most influence over either man’s fate, he is probably under more pressure than either of them.
It’s a stunning win for the Aussies, who started the series with questions about selection and the age of their squad.
Captain Pat Cummins missed the first two Tests, Josh Hazlewood is absent for the entire series, Lyon is not included in the second Test and Steve Smith is absent in Adelaide.
Australia are still too good for England, having played at home since 2011.
