Travis Head causes England more misery as Australia moves closer to Ash’s victory

England moved closer to a humiliating Ashes defeat when Australia’s fortuitous opener Travis Head scored his second century of the series.

Head hit a match-winning hundred in the first Test in Perth after volunteering as emergency relief and another crucial ton on day three at the Adelaide Oval put his side within sight of an unassailable 3-0 lead.

By stumping he had 142 not out at a score of 271 for four, leaving England 356 runs behind.

Their eventual chase will surely eclipse the unforgettable 362 they achieved at Headingley in 2019, while their previous high of 332 on Australian soil is a distant memory.

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AUSTRALIA V ENGLAND THIRD TEST DAY THREE SCORECARD

Warrior

A fighting stand of 106 from England’s warrior-like captain Ben Stokes and tailender Jofra Archer had reduced the first-innings deficit to 85, giving the slightest hint that a remarkable comeback might be possible.

And when Brydon Carse removed Jake Weatherald lbw with his third ball, those small chances added a few more percentage points.

But Head took the match away with another excellent counter punch on his home ground, where he now has four hundreds in his last four outings.

He was dropped on 99 by Harry Brook in the gully, a big chance but another installment in an ever-lengthening list of drops, and finished the day dominantly with 13 fours and two sixes.

Suffered

England are now fighting to avoid the ignominy of losing their biggest series in just ten days of competitive cricket, an unwanted record that would see Nasser Hussain’s 2002-03 team beat vintage Australia in the eleven days.

As always, Stokes’ presence offers some reason for hope, but there must be concerns about his body’s ability to cope with the demands he continues to place on it.

He batted five hours and 12 minutes for his dogged 83, which spanned 198 deliveries and included the slowest half-century of his career, and suffered from cramps and dehydration on Thursday evening.

Despair

Tellingly, he didn’t bowl a single over in Australia’s second innings, despite the desperation to remove Head.

Archer was also used sparingly as the scoreboard moved away from England, putting serious strain on their bowling resources.

Will Jacks once again tried to fill the shoes of a senior international spinner but was left short on a pitch that his masterful opposite number Nathan Lyon had thoroughly enjoyed.

The all-rounder, better known for his batting than his bowling, served 19 overs for 107, while Joe Root scored eight more.

Fatigue

England started the day by adding 73 runs for their last two wickets, taking their total to 286.

Stokes, strokeless from fatigue in the 40 degree heat on day two, moved better in milder temperatures on Friday morning and found a good pace with Archer.

The No. 10 batted with better technique than some of his top-class teammates, mostly in a subdued manner apart from one big swing for six off Lyon.

Both men passed 50, Archer for the first time in Test cricket, as the tourists enjoyed some positivity for once, but things changed when the second new ball arrived.

Blow

Stokes sensed an opportunity to attack but was bowled between bat and pad by Mitchell Starc as a belligerent century went unclaimed.

Archer followed when he flicked Scott Boland to slip, leaving England with five overs to strike a blow before lunch.

He couldn’t do that, but Carse forced someone past Weatherald’s defense and picked him up for a decision, a decision that would have been overturned at DRS.

Easy picking

Josh Tongue removed the out-of-control Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green, while Usman Khawaja picked up Jacks, but Head continued to sag.

There were a few nerves on 99, highlighted by the difficult chance he hit off Brook, but Head soon launched Root over the top before kissing the turf.

The final hour was an easy one as he and Alex Carey secured a partnership of 122 against a flat attack.

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