England's hopes of retaining the Ashes are hanging by a thread after a masterful century from Travis Head put Australia in a commanding position on day three of the third Test in Adelaide. The home side closed on 271 for four, building a formidable lead of 356 runs, with Head unbeaten on 142 in front of a delighted home crowd of 53,696.
Head Capitalises on Questionable England Plans
The left-hander, who scored a match-winning hundred in the first Test at Perth, once again proved England's chief tormentor. He capitalised heavily on a perceived tactical error from the tourists, repeatedly scoring through his favoured cut shot behind square on the off side. This approach drew immediate criticism from former players analysing the game.
Speaking on TNT Sports, ex-England spinner Graeme Swann was blunt in his assessment. "He got an easy start," Swann said. "There was a huge gap behind square on the off side, and the ball kept going there. When you’ve got a player like Travis Head who is so good at playing it late off the back foot, you need to get him reaching, you need to encourage the drive."
Pundits Unite in Criticism
Former Australian batter and coach Justin Langer echoed Swann's sentiments, suggesting England's plans were fundamentally flawed. "You do not bowl to his cut shot," Langer stated emphatically. "It was either [England] not executing the plan, or the plans were poor."
England's day had begun with promise, bowling Australia out for 286 in their first innings. However, their response with the bat faltered, and their subsequent efforts in the field on Friday, 19 December 2025, allowed Head and the Australian middle order to seize complete control of the match and, in all likelihood, the series.
A Daunting Task Ahead for England
The tourists now face a monumental task to save the Test. Their target of 356 would not only surpass their highest successful run chase in Australia—332—but also dwarf the famous 362 they chased at Headingley in 2019. The Adelaide pitch is expected to deteriorate further, favouring Australia's premier spinner, Nathan Lyon.
Discussions around a potential Australian declaration were swiftly dismissed by the commentary team. When former England bowler Steven Finn suggested Australia might declare at lunch to allow time to take ten wickets, Langer was incredulous. "Why?" he asked. "Why would they declare? They’re 2-0 up in the Ashes. To be good blokes? No chance."
Swann concurred, adding: "They’ll make England bowl them out. You don’t look at the forecast and go, let’s give England a sniff at winning this game." England must take the remaining six Australian wickets quickly on the fourth morning to have any hope of setting a remotely manageable target, with the prospect of going 3-0 down in the series now looming large.
