Ashes: Travis Head leads Australia into pole position as England fight to save Adelaide Test

Australia are in pole position to clinch the Adelaide Test as the hosts were fired to a 300-plus lead on Day 3 of the Ashes 2025-26 contest. Playing at the Adelaide Oval, Australia’s Travis Head smashed a brilliant unbeaten 142 at Stumps on Day 3, meaning the hosts now lead by 356 runs in the second innings as the Aussies closed at 271/4. This came after England were earlier bowled out for 286 runs, meaning they surrendered an 85-run lead to Australia.

Head leads Australia into pole position

Having failed to impress in the first innings of the Test match, Head had other ideas on Friday as he seized advantage for the hosts. Despite losing Jake Weatherald (1) in the second over of the innings, Head and Co recovered well before Marnus Labuschagne (13) was dismissed by Josh Tongue in the second session of the day.

Later, it was Usman Khawaja (40) and Cameron Green (7) who departed quickly as Australia were 149/4 at one stage. However, first innings centurion Alex Carey joined Head as they stitched an unbeaten stand of 122 runs for the fifth wicket before Stumps.

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This was Head’s 11th century in the Test format and second of the ongoing Ashes, having also scored 123 runs in the second innings of the opening Test in Perth. Carey, on the other hand, is unbeaten on 52 as he looks to build on his hundred in the first innings.

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What happened in England’s innings?

In the opening session of Day 3, England captain Ben Stokes was dismissed on 83 and missed out on a ton. He, along with Jofra Archer, put together 106 runs for the ninth wicket, meaning England significantly reduced Australia’s first innings advantage. Four overs after Stokes’s dismissal, Archer was also dismissed as England were bowled out for 286. Apart from Stokes and Archer, Harry Brook played a key role with a 45-run knock on Day 2.

For Australia, both Scott Boland and captain Pat Cummins bagged three wickets each while Nathan Lyon bagged a brace on Day 2, which also saw him surpass Glenn McGrath for most Test wickets.