Australia tightened their grip on the third Ashes Test in Adelaide on a scorching Day 2, with Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon delivering a decisive spell that left England on the ropes and the hosts firmly on top of the Ashes 2025/26 series.
After being dismissed for 371 in their first innings, Australia needed early breakthroughs – and their captain led from the front. Cummins struck quickly to disrupt England’s plans, setting the tone for a day that steadily swung Australia’s way as the surface began to show signs of grip and turn.
Pat Cummins strikes early to break England’s resistance
England’s reply suffered an immediate setback when Pat Cummins removed Zak Crawley for 9, drawing a thick outside edge that was safely taken by wicketkeeper Alex Carey. The dismissal halted England’s opening stand and injected urgency into the batting side.
The breakthrough proved pivotal. What began as a cautious start soon unraveled as England slipped from relative stability into trouble, with Australia sensing an opportunity to press their advantage in the heat.
Nathan Lyon’s double blow turns the Test
Introduced before lunch, Nathan Lyon produced a match-shaping over that dramatically altered the course of England’s innings. First, he forced Ollie Pope into a mistimed shot to midwicket, dismissing him for 3. Just moments later, Lyon delivered a drifting off-break that turned sharply to bowl Ben Duckett for 29, clipping the top of off stump.
The double strike left England reeling at 59/3 at the interval, handing Australia full control as conditions increasingly favoured spin.
England’s middle order resists briefly
England attempted to rebuild through Harry Brook and Jamie Smith, who counter-attacked with intent to keep Australia at bay. Brook looked particularly fluent, scoring 45 off 63 balls, while Smith added a brisk 22 off 26.
Despite their efforts, Australia’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure, refusing to allow England to escape. Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, ensuring the visitors never truly recovered from the early damage.
Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer stand tall at stumps
By stumps on Day 2, England were 213/8, with captain Ben Stokes battling hard on 45 not out alongside tailender Jofra Archer, who contributed an enterprising 30. The pair added 45 runs for the ninth wicket, offering England a glimmer of hope.
However, the reality remains daunting. England still trail Australia by 158 runs in their first innings, facing another uphill struggle to stay alive in the Test and the series.
Also WATCH: Pat Cummins bowls a jaffa to dismiss Joe Root for the record 12th time on Day 2 of Adelaide Test
Historic milestone for Nathan Lyon
Beyond the immediate match impact, Day 2 marked a landmark moment in Lyon’s career. His wickets took him to 564 Test dismissals, moving him past Glenn McGrath into second place on Australia’s all-time wicket list and sixth overall in Test cricket history.
With Cummins returning from injury and Lyon restored after missing the Brisbane pink-ball Test, Australia’s full-strength bowling attack has once again exposed England’s batting vulnerabilities at a critical stage of the Ashes.
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