The third Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval has reached a dramatic climax, with Australia setting England a monumental target of 435 runs to win and keep the series alive. England's pursuit began disastrously, losing opener Ben Duckett just before lunch on Day 4, leaving them at a precarious 5 for 1.
Head's Masterclass and Australia's Commanding Total
Resuming their second innings at 271 for 4, Australia's Travis Head and Alex Carey continued to dominate the English bowling. Head, resuming on 142, swiftly moved into top gear, reaching 150 off 205 balls to a standing ovation from his home crowd. He was eventually dismissed for a commanding 170, caught in the deep off Josh Tongue while chasing a maiden Test double hundred.
Alex Carey, who scored an emotional century in the first innings, added 20 to his overnight score of 52 before falling to Ben Stokes for 72. The Australian lower order offered little resistance thereafter, with the innings wrapped up for 349 just before the lunch interval. Josh Tongue was England's most successful bowler, finishing with figures of 4 for 70.
England's Daunting Task and Early Setback
The target of 435 is a record for the Adelaide Oval, where the highest successful run chase stands at 316. England, who must win this match to stay alive in the five-Test series after heavy defeats in Perth and Brisbane, face an enormous challenge. The biggest chase in Test history remains the West Indies' 418 against Australia in 2003.
England's hopes suffered an immediate blow in the tricky 10-minute period before lunch. Opener Ben Duckett, after hitting a boundary, edged pace spearhead Pat Cummins to Marnus Labuschagne at second slip and was dismissed for just 4. At the break, Ollie Pope was unbeaten on 1, with Zak Crawley yet to score.
The Stakes and the Path Ahead
The equation is starkly simple. England must win to prevent Australia from retaining the Ashes urn. The home side, as the current holders, need only a draw to keep the famous trophy. All eyes will now be on England's 'Bazball' approach after lunch, with the team requiring a further 430 runs with 9 wickets in hand.
Captain Ben Stokes, who did not bowl on Friday due to fatigue according to assistant coach Jeetan Patel, opened the attack on Saturday and claimed the crucial wicket of Carey. His leadership and the batting of Pope, Crawley, and the middle order will be critical if England are to pull off a miraculous chase and set up a thrilling finale to the series.
