Australia Secures Ashes Victory with Starc's Stellar Performance

Australia Clinches Ashes with Two Matches Remaining

Australia successfully retained the Ashes series with two matches left, thanks to Mitchell Starc, who took three crucial wickets on the final day of the third Test at the Adelaide Oval, thwarting England's spirited comeback.

Entering the last day, Australia needed to claim four wickets, while England resumed their innings at 207 for six, still trailing by 228 runs from a challenging target of 435, which would have set a record for the highest fourth-innings chase in Test history.

Starc struck early in the morning session, dismissing Jamie Smith for 60 as England added 102 runs. By the time lunch arrived, the situation had intensified: Australia required three more wickets to secure the urn, while England needed 126 runs to keep their hopes alive. Historically, no team has successfully chased more than the West Indies' 418 runs to win a Test match.

Nail-Biting Finish on Day 5

With England's lower order putting up a strong fight and Australia missing their experienced spinner Nathan Lyon due to a hamstring injury, Starc rose to the occasion. He dismissed Will Jacks (47), who was spectacularly caught by Marnus Labuschagne, and Jofra Archer (3), paving the way for Scott Boland to wrap up the innings.

England was ultimately bowled out for 352, resulting in an 82-run victory for Australia. Starc, who had previously been named player of the match in Australia's eight-wicket victories in Perth and Brisbane, once again played a pivotal role.

Captain's Praise for Team Effort

Pat Cummins, the Australian captain who returned for this match after missing the first two Tests due to a back issue, expressed pride in his team's determination. "It feels pretty awesome. We got it done," Cummins remarked. "It’s a good old-fashioned grind a lot of the time, and I loved the toil from all the guys today."

Alex Carey Shines as Player of the Match

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey earned the player of the match title after scoring a century in the first innings and a half-century in the second, contributing to a significant 162-run partnership with Travis Head (170). He also completed seven dismissals throughout the Test.

England's Captain Reflects on Series Loss

Ben Stokes, the captain of England, acknowledged the disappointment of the series loss but commended his team's resilience. "This is going to hurt quite a bit," he stated. "That dream we came here with is now over, but we’ve got two more Tests to go, and that’s where the focus has to be."

Long Wait for England's Test Victory in Australia

Domestic reports highlighted that it has been 5,462 days since England last secured a Test victory on Australian soil, dating back to January 2011.

The fourth Test is set to commence on Boxing Day in Melbourne, followed by the fifth Test in Sydney in the New Year.