England produced a defiant and disciplined response in Adelaide as a spirited bowling display prevented Australia from running away with the opening day of the third Ashes Test, keeping faint hopes of a series fightback alive despite Alex Carey’s commanding century.
Australia closed on 326 for eight at the Adelaide Oval after being sent in by Pat Cummins, who returned to the side and immediately asserted control by winning the toss on a surface expected to favour batting.
With England already 2–0 down following heavy defeats in Perth and Brisbane, the decision appeared to threaten another long, punishing day in the field for Ben Stokes’ side.
Instead, England responded with resilience in oppressive heat, maintaining pressure throughout the day and refusing to allow Australia sustained momentum.
Only Carey, who finished unbeaten on 106, and Usman Khawaja, drafted in at the last minute to replace the unwell Steve Smith, fully capitalised on the conditions, Khawaja contributing a measured 82 before falling to Will Jacks.
Jofra Archer set the tone with a superb opening spell, striking early and then delivering a pivotal burst after lunch.
Archer claimed three wickets for 29 runs, including two in the first over of the afternoon session, at a moment when Australia were threatening to seize control.
Five things to know about The Ashes | PAThe fast bowler’s pace and accuracy gave England renewed belief and disrupted Australia’s rhythm.
Josh Tongue, recalled in place of Gus Atkinson, justified the selection with an energetic display that yielded figures of one for 63, while Brydon Carse continued to reward Stokes’ faith with two important wickets in a controlled spell that cost 70 runs.
Together, the seamers worked tirelessly to exploit whatever assistance was available, probing patiently rather than searching for miracles.
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Alex Carey hit a stunning century for Australia against England on day one of the third Ashes Test
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The decision to favour Will Jacks over specialist spinner Shoaib Bashir drew attention before the match, particularly in traditionally spin-friendly Adelaide conditions.
Jacks was targeted by Australia but responded with composure, claiming the prized scalps of Khawaja and Carey to halt developing partnerships and ensure England remained competitive.
Australia had been dealt a significant blow before a ball was bowled when Smith was ruled out, reportedly after experiencing dizzy spells.
Khawaja’s late inclusion helped stabilise the innings early on, but England’s bowlers repeatedly found ways to break through, ensuring the hosts were never allowed to coast.
England coach David Saker praised the persistence shown by the attack.
“I thought it was a good performance from our bowlers,” Saker said. “It’s never easy day one in Adelaide so the boys toiled away. I thought it was a really good effort.”
Jofra Archer took three wickets for England against Australia
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Saker stressed that the performance reflected lessons learned from previous defeats rather than any drastic change in approach.
“We haven’t really panicked. We think we’ve had stints where we’ve been really good,” Saker said.
“In Brisbane, that first innings we had stints when we were quite poor with the ball.
“But we know what we needed to do. We need to get the ball in a challenging area for long periods of time.
"Bowling is not rocket science. It’s about getting the ball in the right areas enough time.
"We mixed our lengths too much in Brisbane and we got back to a pretty good length today. I thought we were threatening for good periods of time.”