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England's Josh Tongue, centre, is congratulated by teammates Harry Brook and Jamie Smith, right, after taking the wicket of Australia's Cameron Green during play on day three of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
With Australia ending the third day of the third Ashes Test at Adelaide at 276 for 4 and still ahead of England by 356 runs, the hosts are looking in control against the Ben Stokes led England side. With England trailing the five-match series 0-2 and Australia still having six wickets in hand in the Adelaide Test, the Ben Stokes led side will need an outstanding effort from their bowling attack as batting unit to force a draw or eke out a win at Adelaide and have any chance of not losing the series. Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes England will need a miracle to pull out a win in the Adelaide Test with Australia looking set to have a lead past 450 runs in the Test.
“Australia have got a lot of batting still to come and they’re not going to be in a rush. They’re 2-0 up and even with a draw here, the Ashes are retained. They want their bowlers, one of whom (Pat Cummins) is coming back from a few months out with an injury, to have a big lead. They want Nathan Lyon to have a pitch that’s turning a little bit more, so they’re in no rush. They’ll look to get the lead past 450. One of the things this England side has done well, under this regime, is chase in the fourth innings, but this is different. This is with the Ashes on the line, and it looks like it’s going to be 450 plus. The odds are slim. England need a miracle, though I always believe that a game of cricket – go back to Headingley in 2019 – it’s not over till it’s over. Especially in an Ashes series. You fight until that very last delivery, but England staring down the barrel.” Hussian told Sky Sports.
England had lost the opening Test of the Ashes at Perth eight wickets. The test was the shortest in Australia in 93 years and second shortest of all time in the country with just 847 balls bowled in the match. The Ben Stokes led England side lost the second Test at Brisbane by eight wickets too and the side could only manage a first innings’ total of 266 runs in reply to Australia’s first innings’ total of 371 runs. With two days remaining in the Test and Australia leading by 356 runs with six wickets in hand, Hussain believes Australia will be in no hurry to declare. When asked about Australia tactics to bat longer, Husain counted the reasons including how Australia would want the pitch to disintegrate to assist spin and bounce. “One, they’re 2-0 up in an Ashes. Even a draw here, they retain the Ashes. Secondly, they will want as many runs as possible to bat England out the game. Thirdly, they will want their seamers rested. 40 degrees they bowled in yesterday. Pat Cummins hasn’t bowled for months. He’ll want to put his feet up and rest that body so that they’ve got the energy to go again. And they will want the pitch to disintegrate. I don’t think it will do yet, but another day on it, another two sessions, I think it will start spinning and bouncing. And they have Nathan Lyon who went past the great Glenn McGrath for wickets for Australia. So, they will just bat and bat and England will have to bowl them out, said Hussain.
The former England captain also talked about how England lacked a quality spinner and talked about how Australia have benefitted from the presence of a spinner like Nathan Lyon. “I thought England were better with the new ball today. They miss a quality spinner. Lyon is going at 2.5 runs an over and getting wickets. Will Jacks has been gifted a few wickets, but he’s going over five runs an over, so England are getting no control at one end,” Hussain said.
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