Australia they tightened their grip The third Ashes Test in Adelaide On the 2nd day, with Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon He delivered a decisive spell that left England on the ropes and the hosts firmly in the Ashes 2025/26 series.
After being dismissed for 371 in their first innings, Australia needed an early breakthrough – and their captain led from the front. Cummins struck quickly to disrupt England’s plans, setting the tone for a day that steadily swung Australia’s way as the surface began to show signs of holding and turning.
Pat Cummins strikes early to break England’s resistance
England’s reply failed immediately when Pat Cummins edged out Zak Crawley for 9 before pulling a thick edge that was safely taken by keeper Alex Carey. The dismissal halted England’s opening stand and injected urgency into the batting side.
The bounce proved key. What started as a cautious start soon opened up as England went from relative stability to trouble, with Australia sensing an opportunity to strengthen their advantage in the heat.
Nathan Lyon’s double turns the Test
Served before dinner, Nathan Lyon It shaped a match that drastically changed the course of England’s innings. First he got Ollie Pop to hit the midwife at the wrong time, leaving him for 3 terms. Minutes later, Lyon sharply cut Ben Duckett over the top of the off-stump with a 29.
The double blow left England reeling at 59/3 at the interval and Australia in complete control as conditions increasingly favored spin.
England’s middle order resists for a short while
England tried to rebuild through counter-attacking Harry Brook and Jamie Smith, intent on keeping Australia at bay. Brook looked particularly fluent, hitting 45 of 63, while Smith added 22 of 26.
Despite their efforts, Australia’s bowlers kept up the relentless pressure, refusing to allow England a run. The wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, ensuring the visitors never recovered from the early injury.
Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer stand tall at the stumps
On Day 2, England scored 213/8, with captain Ben Stokes struggling with 45, not out with 30 from debutant Jofra Archer. The pair added 45 runs for the ninth wicket and gave England a glimmer of hope.
However, the reality remains grim. England still trail Australia by 158 runs in their first innings, facing another uphill battle for Test and series survival.
Also WATCH: Pat Cummins hits the jaffa to dismiss Joe Root for a record 12th time on Day 2 of the Adelaide Test
Historic milestone for Nathan Lyon
Beyond the immediate match impact, Day 2 was a landmark moment in Lyon’s career. His wickets took him to 564 Test dismissals, moving him past Glenn McGrath into second on Australia’s all-time wicket-taking list and sixth in Test cricket history.
With Cummins back from injury and Lyon recovering after Brisbane missed the pink-ball Test, Australia’s full-strength bowling attack once again exposed England’s batting weaknesses at a critical stage of the Ashes.
