There was a point in the clash, when England had a shot towards making the score line 2-1.
11 days was all that it took for Australia to retain the urn. Or rather, 11 days was all it took for England to crumble under a heap of pressure. The only positive the Three Lions can take from the 3rd Ashes Test would be the fact that they managed to take it to the last day. But there’d be a bigger positive. The feeling that Ben Stokes & Co. had the finish line in sight at a point in time would give them sleepless nights.
Having said that, this isn’t a new pattern for the visitors anymore. In each of the three Tests, there have been moments when the two teams were placed evenly. However, the Australians have been able to hold their nerve in high-pressure moments as compared to England, which reads pretty evidently in the score line of the series.
With 435 runs required to win in the 4th innings of the Adelaide Test, the hopes were pretty grim for the visitors. But the wicket showed no signs of demons in it. All that was required was some application from the batters. In came Pat Cummins, dismissing Ben Duckett off the second delivery that he bowled. The same ‘lack of footwork’ kind of dismissal.
The Three Lions have simply not been able to live up to the temperament that is required for the longest format. Their best batter has been skipper Ben Stokes, with 165 runs in three matches in the series. Joe Root and Harry Brook have got more runs than their skipper, but Stokes has shown some good application and temperament throughout the series, with both bat and ball.
Despite Alex Carey’s dismissal, the visitors did pretty well to restrict the Australians to 371 in the first innings. Much of that effort originated from the bowling of Jofra Archer, who bagged a terrific five-wicket haul. However, England were then on the receiving end of some disciplined bowling from Australia, being bundled out for 286.
A Travis Head blitz made sure that England were left with 435 runs to chase to make a comeback in the Ashes series. They had a jittery start, but recovered well. They stitched small partnerships, but were not able to convert any into big ones. Australia, on the other hand, kept making frequent inroads. But the highlight of the fourth innings came when Jamie Smith was sent back by Mitchell Starc.
It doesn’t take a lot for a Test match to turn on its head. And for the Adelaide Test, it can be safe to say that this was the moment. The English wicketkeeper-batter had scored four consecutive boundaries – two each of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. Just when the hosts were beginning to panic, Smith threw his wicket away. He tried to hit Starc for a third consecutive boundary, and ended up holing the ball to skipper Cummins.
England’s score at the time was 285/6, needing exactly 150 runs to make the Ashes score line 2-1. However, Smith, who was playing on a well scripted 60, chose to throw his wicket away by going for another boundary. Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting summed up the English woes in the commentary box, highlighting England’s habit of throwing games away at crucial times.
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The visitors landed on Australian soil with more than a year’s preparation under their belt for this very series. The Ashes has been one of the most fierce rivalries in the cricketing world for years. The Englishmen had all the pre-requisites to thrive and compete against this Australian side – which did not have the likes of Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins for the first two Tests.
The biggest problem for Ben Stokes & Co. has not been the skill, but their ability to adapt to the situation of the game. The skipper has been doing everything to lead the way for his side, but unfortunately has not found support from his men. Even when he has, the visitors have made it a habit to throw the game away at crucial junctures, like Jamie Smith in the Adelaide Test.
Moreover, the visitors have not been able to capitalise on the big moments in the game, which the Australians have managed to do quite well. Every time the Aussies have been pushed in a corner, they have come back fighting for everything. Former Australian coach Justin Langer also mentioned that he Australians have been playing like a team, whereas the Englishmen have been too dependent on Ben Stokes.
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