Nathan Lyon climbed to second place on Australia’s all-time Test wicket-takers list, surpassing Glenn McGrath, as Australia’s bowlers tightened their grip on England during day two of the third Ashes Test. Returning captain Pat Cummins also made an immediate impact, claiming his first wickets of the series to leave England in deep trouble at the Adelaide Oval.
Australia resumed the day on 326 for 8 and were eventually bowled out for 371, with Mitchell Starc registering a valuable half-century. Jofra Archer led England’s fightback with figures of 5 for 53. In reply, England stumbled to 213 for 8 at stumps, still trailing by 158 runs.
Australia’s bowlers turn up the heat
England’s reply began steadily at 37 without loss before Cummins struck to trigger a dramatic collapse. Lyon then took two wickets in his first over, removing Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett as England lost three wickets in just 15 balls and slumped into trouble.
Lyon’s dismissal of Pope allowed the off-spinner to equal McGrath’s tally of 563 Test wickets, before he moved past the Australian great later in the day. Only Shane Warne now sits above Lyon on Australia’s all-time list. The milestone was made more memorable by television shots of McGrath jokingly reacting from the commentary box.
Despite the traditionally batting-friendly conditions at Adelaide, England struggled to cope with Australia’s relentless attack. Cummins finished with 3 for 54, Lyon claimed 2 for 51, while Scott Boland chipped in with 2 for 31 on a day when temperatures soared to nearly 40°C.
Ben Stokes once again led from the front, enduring a gruelling four-hour stay at the crease under intense pressure. The England skipper was struck on the helmet by a Starc bouncer and later took a painful blow to the thigh, appearing to battle cramps throughout his innings.
Unbeaten on 45 from 151 deliveries, Stokes shared a crucial 45-run stand with No. 10 Archer, who contributed a spirited 30, ensuring England survived into the third day.
Cummins’ performance was particularly significant after the fast bowler returned from a back injury that had ruled him out of Australia’s wins in Perth and Brisbane. His dismissal of Zak Crawley early in the innings set the tone for Australia’s dominance.
Another key moment came when Cameron Green broke a threatening partnership by dismissing Harry Brook for 45. Brook had earlier survived a DRS review but fell soon after to a delivery that moved away and took the edge.
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The day was also marked by fresh DRS controversy. Jamie Smith was involved in two tight decisions, one going in England’s favour and another against them, leaving both teams visibly frustrated as debates over technology resurfaced.
With Australia already holding a 2-0 series lead, England now face an uphill task to bat deep and keep their Ashes hopes alive.
