Australia wrapped up the Ashes in emphatic fashion after defeating England by 82 runs on the fifth day of the third Test at Adelaide Oval. Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc delivered the decisive blows, taking three wickets as England’s determined resistance ended at 352 while chasing a world-record target of 435.
England fought deep into the second session and showed resolve throughout the final day. However, Australia maintained control. Scott Boland claimed the final wicket of Josh Tongue before tea to confirm a 3-0 series lead that England can no longer overturn.
Much of the pre-series discussion centred on the age of Australia’s squad. Starc said the senior players had again shown their value under pressure. The 35-year-old admitted the group often laughs at age-related comments, adding that experience helps players manage the highs and lows that define long Test matches.
Australia retain the #Ashes in a five-day thriller!
Break it all down here: https://t.co/hpOH2iNVYU pic.twitter.com/OHtexAI8DC
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 21, 2025For England, the defeat extended a troubling pattern. They have now lost the Ashes inside three Tests for the fourth consecutive tour of Australia and have suffered 16 defeats in their last 18 Tests in the country. Despite two matches remaining, this campaign already ranks among their most disappointing.
There was genuine belief before the series that England could mount a serious challenge. Captain Ben Stokes spoke confidently, and there was hope that the aggressive “Bazball” approach might deliver an Ashes win in Australia for the first time since 2010–11. Instead, those ambitions unravelled in Adelaide. England abandoned their trademark aggression, returned to more traditional Test batting, and still lost convincingly.
Stokes admitted the outcome hurt. He said the team arrived with a clear goal and failed to achieve it, while acknowledging Australia’s superior level. He added that England showed fight in the fourth innings and could take positives from their effort despite the result.
The king of Adelaide
England began day five needing 228 runs. Australia rested their frontline seamers early and opened with spinner Nathan Lyon and all-rounder Cameron Green against Will Jacks and Jamie Smith.
The cautious start reflected the tension. In Green’s second over, Jacks turned his ankle while attempting a run and briefly hobbled, a moment that summed up England’s uneven tour. The pair battled for 40 minutes before rain halted play, though the delay proved brief as sunshine soon returned.
Australia win Ashes as England fall short in record chase https://t.co/WFRKPqvaRl pic.twitter.com/L2YauTwtJ8
— The Independent (@Independent) December 21, 2025Jacks and Smith reached a fifty-run stand with the old ball and were then spared Lyon, who left the field with a hamstring issue. When the second new ball arrived, Smith counterattacked, striking Pat Cummins and Starc for back-to-back boundaries.
That momentum did not last. With the deficit cut to 150, Smith attempted another big shot off Starc and fell for 60, caught by Cummins at mid-on. Jacks steadied the innings alongside Brydon Carse, who survived a strong lbw appeal before lunch as England scored 102 for one in the session.
After the interval, Carse overturned an lbw decision on review and later struck a six off the part-time spin of Travis Head, briefly unsettling the home crowd. The partnership left England needing 98, but Starc returned to break the stand. Jacks edged a seaming delivery on 47, and Marnus Labuschagne produced a superb one-handed catch in the slips.
Australia has retained the Ashes!!
Adelaide wrap 👉 https://t.co/1xQo2LrxYc pic.twitter.com/6XYsum0xLV
— Herald Sun Sport (@heraldsunsport) December 21, 2025From there, Australia closed in swiftly. Jofra Archer attempted a slog off Starc but picked out Jake Weatherald in the deep. Boland then sealed the series as Tongue edged another delivery to Labuschagne in the slips.
Wicketkeeper Alex Carey earned Man of the Match honours after scoring a first-innings century and a second-innings fifty. Head laid the foundation for victory with a commanding 170, his fourth consecutive Test hundred at Adelaide, following a match-winning 123 in the opening Test in Perth.
Starc summed up Head’s impact with a smile, calling him the “king of Adelaide” and praising the ease with which he dominates at the venue. For Australia, the result confirmed their authority at home. For England, it underlined the scale of the challenge that still lies ahead.
