Ben Stokes’ England on cusp of losing Ashes as Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon stand up for Australia

An unrelenting Australia were four wickets from retaining the Ashes at close of play in the third Test on Saturday as England clung to a dying hope that they could chase a record 435 to save the series.

England had clawed their way to 207-6 at the end of play in Adelaide with Will Jacks on 11 and Jamie Smith two, still 228 runs from their target.

They lost big guns Zak Crawley (85), Joe Root (39), Harry Brook (30), and Ben Stokes (5) in the final session with Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins doing the damage.

England must win to keep the five-match series alive after being crushed by eight wickets at Perth and Brisbane. Australia, as holders, only need a draw to retain the urn.

With attendance over the first four days swelling to more than 200,000 — a record for the Adelaide Oval which has been hosting Tests since 1884 — they faced a daunting task.

No team has ever chased down more than 316 at the venue, while the biggest successful run chase in Test history was 418 by the West Indies against Australia at St. Johns in 2003.

England took six wickets before lunch to wrap up Australia’s second innings for 349 with Travis Head slamming 170 and Alex Carey 72.

It left them with 10 minutes to bat before the break but disaster struck in the second over when Ben Duckett, on four, edged Cummins to Marnus Labuschagne at second slip.

Number three Ollie Pope has struggled all series and was widely seen as on his last chance with Jacob Bethell waiting in the wings.

He failed to deliver again, gone for 17 with Labuschagne taking a stunning one-handed catch at full stretch in the slips, again off Cummins.

Watchful opener Crawley built a 78-run stand with Root, who needed a big score to save his side but had no answer to Cummins again.

The Australian skipper removed him for a 13th time in Tests, more than any other bowler, with a furious Root berating himself after prodding at a full delivery and feathering to Carey.

Crawley brought up a well deserved 50 and with an uncharacteristically subdued Brook began a rebuild before his partner badly mistimed a reverse sweep and was bowled by a classic Lyon off-break.

With the pitch deteriorating, Lyon unleashed another trademark delivery to bowl Stokes, then tempted Crawley down the wicket to be stumped by Carey, leaving England’s Ashes campaign in tatters.

On the attack

Australia resumed at 271-4 with Head on 142 and Carey 52 and they feasted early on some mediocre bowling.

Stokes didn’t turn over his arm on Friday with assistant coach Jeetan Patel saying he was “knackered” after a stoic 83 with the bat.

The England captain opened the attack on Saturday but Head quickly got to work and reached his 150 with a boundary through backward point, earning a standing ovation from his home fans.

Targeting a maiden double-century, Head pulled a short ball from Josh Tongue with Crawley in the deep doing well to get underneath it in glaring sun.

Carey added 20 as he set his sights on back-to-back centuries after an emotional first innings 106.

But he was taken at slip by Brook off Stokes, with Josh Inglis (10) following soon after, caught behind by Smith off Tongue.

With the new ball taken, Brook collected another slip catch to remove Cummins (6), this time off Brydon Carse who trapped Lyon lbw next ball.

Scott Boland was the last man out, caught and bowled by Jofra Archer with Tongue taking 4-70.

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