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CRICKET: England 132-5 at tea in third Ashes test, Australia 371

England slump to 132-5 at tea on day two of the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval, trailing Australia by 239 runs after Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon dismantle the top order.

REUTERS

December 18, 2025

England reel under heat as Australia tighten grip at Adelaide Ashes Test

ADELAIDE — England reached 132 for five at tea on day two of the third Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, still trailing Australia’s first-innings total of 371 by 239 runs.


England captain Ben Stokes was unbeaten on 19 at the interval, with wicketkeeper Jamie Smith on five, after Australia captain Pat Cummins and recalled spinner Nathan Lyon combined to dismantle the top order as temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius (104°F).


Cummins claimed his second wicket shortly after lunch when Joe Root was caught behind for 19. All-rounder Cameron Green then broke a 56-run partnership between Stokes and Harry Brook by having Brook edge to the wicketkeeper for 45.


England suffered a collapse of three wickets for five runs before lunch after openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett had put on 37 runs for the first wicket. Cummins struck early in his second over on his return from a back injury, removing Crawley for nine. Lyon followed by dismissing Ollie Pope for three when the batter flicked off his pads to Josh Inglis at mid-wicket, before bowling Duckett for 29 three balls later.


Earlier, Australia added 45 runs to their overnight score of 326 for eight. Mitchell Starc scored his second consecutive half-century of the series before being bowled for 54 by Jofra Archer. Starc hit five fours off Archer and Brydon Carse in an aggressive start to the day.


Archer later trapped Lyon leg-before-wicket for nine to close Australia’s innings, finishing as England’s leading bowler with figures of five for 53.


Australia, who hold the Ashes, lead the five-match series 2-0 following eight-wicket victories in Perth and Brisbane.


-Reporting by Ian Ransom in Adelaide; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Reuters

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