Ashes

Captain Ben Stokes said protecting England players’ welfare was his top concern amid claims of excessive drinking on a mid-Ashes beach break, without directly addressing the allegations.

Stokes was peppered with questions on Wednesday ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne about the team’s behaviour at Noosa between the second and third Tests after British media reports compared it with a “stag-do”.

Unverified social media footage appeared to show opener Ben Duckett drunk and disoriented.

Their disastrous five-Test tour, which has seen Australia take an unassailable 3-0 lead, took another hit on Wednesday when pace spearhead Jofra Archer was ruled out of the rest of the series with a side strain.

England cricket chief Rob Key on Tuesday pledged to investigate the drinking claims, while the England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement it was intent on establishing the facts.

Stokes, whose team have already lost the Ashes, said his main concern was the players’ mental welfare and to ensure they were ready for the Melbourne Test starting Friday.

“I’m obviously aware of the reports and everything circulating around right now,” Stokes said.

“My main concern is my players, and how I handle this moment is the most important thing to me.

“The welfare of everyone in there, and probably some certain individuals as well, is the most important thing to me right now as England captain.

“It’s never a nice place to be in when not only the media world, but also the social media world, is piling on top of you,” he added.

“It’s a very tough place to be in as an individual. As an individual, when you know you’ve got the support of the people who are sort of leaders, in a sense, it’s very good to know that you’ve got that support.”

Asked directly whether his teammates had “done anything wrong in Noosa”, Stokes replied: “I’ve just answered everything there.”

Stokes calls for focus as spotlight increases on England

England went to Queensland tourist resort Noosa after losing the first two Tests in Perth and Brisbane heavily.

They spent several days on the sand and around restaurants and bars before travelling to Adelaide, where they lost the third Test as Australia retained the Ashes.

Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported that “after drowning their sorrows after the Brisbane Test, it is no exaggeration to say some, certainly not all, players drank for five or six days”.

It added that players “did nothing outrageous in Noosa” but there was concern over the level of drinking, with England’s professionalism already under the microscope after their limited preparations.

Stokes conceded that when a side was losing, there would be scrutiny, and “rightly so”.

“When you are 3-0 down you don’t really have a leg to stand on but we’ve got two games of cricket to play. That’s what we have to focus on,” he said.

“We haven’t won a game in Australia for a long, long time.”

England have gone 18 Tests since winning a match in Australia, dating back to their last series victory there in 2010-11.

Their capitulation in this series in 11 days of play is the joint second quickest in more than a century, since the 1921 Ashes was completed in eight days.

Making matters worse, Archer will take no further part in the tour, with Gus Atkinson replacing him in Melbourne.

The under-performing Ollie Pope paid for his poor form at number three, with Jacob Bethell taking over in the only other change.

England’s Test woes in contrast to Australia’s Ashes high

Bowling with the ‌wicketkeeper standing up to the stumps can bruise a fast bowler’s ego, ‍but Australia paceman ‍Scott Boland said Alex Carey’s stellar glovework in the ongoing Ashes series has helped him grow comfortable with it.

Carey’s wicketkeeping masterclass has been a key factor in Australia’s unassailable lead in the five-match series, and the ⁠34-year-old was particularly impressive in the second Test at the Gabba, where he stood ​up to Boland and Michael Neser.

With the wicketkeeper breathing down their ‍necks, English batters were pretty much confined to the crease, which meant the home bowlers did not really need to vary their length.

“I’ve just never really bowled to the keeper up to the ‍stumps before,” Boland ⁠told reporters ahead of the fourth Test.

“Everyone wants to be a fast bowler, and you don’t really like the keeper up to the stumps.

“But I’ve seen over the last month how effective it is and how still I can keep their batters by Alex being up to the stumps.”

Wicketkeepers typically stand farther back from the stumps when facing fast bowlers to give ​themselves more time to react to the high speed ‌and bounce of the ball, reducing the risk of missed catches.

Even from close range, Carey showed tremendous reflexes to pouch a thick edge from Ben Stokes after the England captain had nicked a Neser delivery ‌in the second innings.

Dismissals like that gave confidence to Boland that he could continue bowling his edge-inducing length balls regardless ‌of where Carey stood.

“I just need to trust that ⁠the length balls I bowl to try and nick guys off is the same length I bowl when he’s up to the stumps or back,” the 36-year-old said.

“The Gabba was pretty bouncy and he ‌was up to the stumps for a bit of it and catching balls above waist-high and I bowled a bouncer and he caught that, so I have full trust ‍in him up there.”

Former Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy called Carey “clearly the best in the world”, while teammate Steve Smith termed him a “freak”.

Replacing Pope with Bethell is the latest stage of long-running speculation around England’s number-three position.

Pope’s highest score in six innings on this Ashes tour is 46, extending his run of eight Tests against Australia without a half-century.

In the 27-year-old’s past seven Tests since making a century against India at Headingley in July, he averages 24.38.

Overall, he averages 34.55 in 64 Tests. This is the first time he has been left out of a Test since the 2022 tour of West Indies.

The Surrey man has been under pressure since Bethell made his Test debut in New Zealand at the end of last year, when the left-hander made three half-centuries in as many matches.

However, Bethell has endured a stop-start year since that breakthrough tour of New Zealand.

He has played only three first-class matches in the past year, one of which was the fifth Test against India at The Oval, when he made scores of six and five.

The 22-year-old did make 71 for England Lions against Australia A in Brisbane earlier this month.

Speculation that Bethell may come in for the start of the Ashes series grew when Pope was replaced as vice-captain by Harry Brook when the England squad was announced in September.

Instead, Pope has become the first selection victim of the failed bid to regain the urn.

“He’s not going to be the only one who’s disappointed in the dressing room with how things have gone,” said Stokes. “Being 3-0 down, it’s a tough place to be on a trip like this.

“There’s going to be a lot of disappointment within the dressing room from everyone who’s in there.”

Captain Pat Cummins and spinner Nathan Lyon have been left out of the Australia squad for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

Lyon is set to have surgery on a torn right hamstring which will sideline him for an extended period, while Cummins is rested as he continues to manage a long-standing back issue.

Cummins missed the first two Tests of the series but returned for the third in Adelaide as Australia retained the Ashes after just 11 days of play.

Batter Steve Smith, meanwhile, returns from an illness which kept him out of the third Test and will captain the side.

Seam bowler Jhye Richardson and spinner Todd Murphy have been recalled to the squad while Michael Neser, Beau Webster and Brendan Doggett retain their places despite not making the starting XI in Adelaide.

The fourth Test at the MCG in Melbourne begins at 23:30 GMT on 25 December.

Australia has swept to an 82-run win in the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval to retain the urn with two matches to spare and leave England facing recriminations over another failed campaign.

Chasing a world record 435 runs to win on Sunday, England battled doggedly on day five but folded for 352 with left-armed quick Mitchell Starc taking three wickets and Scott Boland the last dismissal of Josh Tongue before tea.

“Three-nil is hugely satisfying for many reasons but particularly with how the chat before the series was how equally poised it was going to be,” Australia captain Pat Cummins, who took ⁠six wickets on his return from a back injury, told reporters

“This group’s amazing at just cracking on.”

Much of the talk in the build-up to the Ashes had been the age ​profile of the Australia squad, but Starc said the veterans had proved their worth.

“We do laugh at some of the comments that get back to us about how old we are,” the 35-year-old said.

“I’m sure experience plays a part going through your highs and lows. … That plays a big part in all of this.”

After eight-wicket defeats in Perth and Brisbane, England have now lost the Ashes in three matches for the fourth consecutive tour while losing 16 of their last 18 Tests in the country.

Although two Tests remain, the latest surrender may top the previous tours for sheer disappointment.

There were expectations of a genuine contest, fighting words from England captain Ben Stokes and hope that “Bazball” might win the urn in Australia for the first time since 2010-2011.

All that was swept aside in Adelaide, where England ditched their trademark aggression, reverted to more traditional Test batting and were still beaten convincingly.

“We obviously came here with a goal in mind, and we haven’t been able to achieve it. It hurts, and it sucks,” England skipper Stokes said.

“They’ve been able to outdo us on a much higher level. … I thought we did incredibly well to take us where we did in this fourth innings.

“We couldn’t do what we came here to do, but there was some good stuff to come out of this game.”

The king of Adelaide

On day five while still needing 228 runs to win, England’s hopes were pinned on all-rounder Will Jacks and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith after they resumed on 207 for six.

Jacks turned his ankle when pushing off his crease for a run but battled on for 40 minutes until rain halted play.

England fans cheered, but it was just a passing squall, the ground soon bathed in sunshine.

The Surrey duo brought up a fifty-run partnership with the old ball and were soon spared spinner Nathan Lyon, who came off with a hamstring injury after cutting off a four in the field.

When the second new ball came, Smith attacked with gusto, smashing both Cummins and Starc for back-to-back fours.

But with the deficit trimmed to 150 runs, he threw the bat at a Starc delivery for a third time in succession and was caught for 60 by a ‌back-pedalling Cummins at mid-on.

Jacks played a steadier hand with tailender Carse, who finished 39 not out and hung ⁠tough with the all-rounder for 52 runs.

Home fans shifted uncomfortably in their seats as the pair reduced the deficit to under 100 runs, but Starc returned and Marnus Labuschagne flew in the slips to snuff out the danger.

Jacks, on 47, drove at a Starc ball that moved away off the seam, and Labuschagne dived to his left for another terrific one-handed catch, having removed Ollie Pope with a screamer in the slips on day ‌four.

Jofra Archer then tried to slog Starc but sent the ball down the throat of Jake Weatherald at deep point to leave England one wicket from defeat before Boland had Tongue sending another slips catch to Labuschagne.

Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey was named Man of the Match for a first-innings 106 and 72 in the second while Travis Head set up ‍the victory with 170 in the third innings, his fourth consecutive Test ton at Adelaide Oval.

“If he wasn’t before, he’s the king of Adelaide,” Starc said of Head, who also scored a match-winning 123 in Perth.

“He’s not going to have to pay for another beer [here]. I don’t know how he does it, but jeez, it’s bloody good to ‌watch.”

Prior to this series, the 34-year-old agreed a new England central contract that will run until the end of the next Ashes in the UK in 2027.

This series loss, completed in only 11 days of cricket across the first three Tests, is likely to put pressure on the positions of McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key.

Given Stokes’ influence and importance to the England team, the Durham man would probably be given the opportunity to continue as captain if he wants the role.

He has a chequered injury history – Stokes has been dogged by knee, hamstring and shoulder problems over the past two years.

And the captain has noticeably devoted a lot of emotional energy to this series. On being dismissed in the second innings of the second Test in Brisbane, then again in the first innings in Adelaide, he threw his bat in the air in frustration.

Asked if he still has the energy for the job, Stokes replied: “Absolutely.”

After making 83 in more than five hours at the crease in the first innings, Stokes did not bowl on the third day in Adelaide, before taking the ball at the beginning of day four.

“I just didn’t feel right,” he said. “I knew I still had a big role to play so I didn’t want to expose myself.

“I felt like I was going to snap every time I ran after a ball, so I just looked after myself.

“I had a good night’s kip, woke up next morning and I was good to go again, but I actually listened to the advice that was given to me for a change from a few of the senior boys.”

England coach Brendon McCullum says his side haven’t lived up to “high hopes and expectations” after failing to regain The Ashes, but that fans can expect his side to “show what we’re capable of achieving” in the final two Test matches in the series against Australia.

MATCH REPORT: England beaten to lose another Ashes in Australia

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England’s Bazball regime is in tatters as yet another Ashes in Australia was lost in three Tests.

The tourists were defeated by 82 runs on the fifth day of the third Test in Adelaide to go 3-0 down and extend a winless run in this country to 18 matches.

Australia were delayed by a 40-minute rain shower, England pair Jamie Smith and Will Jacks, and a hamstring injury to spinner Nathan Lyon.

Smith had 60 when he miscued Mitchell Starc. Jacks battled past lunch for his 47 then edged the same bowler to first slip, where Marnus Labuschagne again took a breathtaking catch.

When Josh Tongue edged Scott Boland to Labuschagne, England were all out for 352 and their misery in this country prolonged to 14 years and counting.

This was supposed to be England’s opportunity to finally compete in Australia, the most highly-anticipated Ashes in recent memory.

Instead it has turned into the worst tour in recent times, leaving the futures of captain Ben Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key in doubt.

England have surrendered the chance to win the Ashes in only 11 days of cricket and now must find a result in either Melbourne or Sydney to avoid the ultimate humiliation of a 5-0 clean sweep.

This is the fourth successive Ashes tour in which England have lost the first three Tests. By the time Australia visit the UK in 2027, it will be 12 years since England’s previous Ashes win.

Who is in charge of England by then will come in for intense debate. Stokes and McCullum have contracts until the end of that series. In theory, Key has most sway over the fate of both men, but is probably under more pressure than either.

This is a stunning win for the Australians, who began the series with questions over selection and the age of their squad.

Captain Pat Cummins missed the first two Tests, Josh Hazlewood is out for the entire series, Lyon was omitted for the second Test and Steve Smith is absent in Adelaide.

Australia have still been far too good for England, as they have been on home turf since 2011.

Australia spinner Nathan Lyon will play no further part on the final day of the third Ashes Test and is a doubt for the remainder of the series because of a hamstring injury.

Lyon, 38, who became Australia’s second highest Test wicket-taker during the Adelaide Test, was injured diving in the field on the morning of the fifth day.

He clutched his right hamstring and left the field immediately.

Lyon took three wickets on the fourth afternoon to put Australia on the brink of a victory that will confirm a series win.

He went wicketless before his injury on day five, however, as England showed admirable fight.

There are just five days before the fourth Test begins in Melbourne on 26 December (23:30 GMT, 25 December), leaving Lyon with little time to recover. The final Test in Sydney follows five days after the fourth has finished.

Lyon, one of the greatest spinners of all time, suffered a calf injury during the second Test of the 2023 Ashes, which was a significant factor in England recovering to draw the series 2-2.

He bowled only two overs in the first Test of this series and then said he felt “filthy” after being left out of the second in Brisbane.

Opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not aware of comments made by Ben Stokes when the England captain said his dressing room is “not a place for weak men”.

Stokes made the statement in multiple interviews following England’s defeat in the second Ashes Test against Australia earlier this month.

In the run-up to the third Test, in which England are set to be beaten to lose the series at the earliest opportunity, Stokes said he had let his message “drift around” his players.

“I’ve done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done,” said the all-rounder.

But after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day of the third Test in Adelaide, he said: “I didn’t see that.

“I didn’t see and wasn’t really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt.”

Stokes made the “weak men” comment after England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.

The England squad subsequently went on holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.

Before this match in Adelaide, Stokes said his team had held “raw” conversations. The captain also asked his players to “show a bit of dog” in their battle to remain in the series.

But Kent’s Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge.

“It’s been very positive, the same as always,” said Crawley. “[It’s] just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special going into this game.”

England are on the brink of an Ashes series defeat after Australia’s Nathan Lyon broke their resistance late on the fourth day of the third Test in Adelaide.

Off-spinner Lyon removed a reverse-sweeping Harry Brook, bowled Ben Stokes and, crucially, had Zak Crawley stumped to move the home side within touching distance of the urn.

Crawley compiled an impressive 85, but when he was seduced by a delirious Lyon, England were left 194-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.

Australia will return on Sunday needing four more wickets to go 3-0 up after three Tests, retain the Ashes after only 11 days of cricket and win a fourth consecutive home series against England.

Lyon’s intervention – England lost three wickets for 17 runs in six overs – came after the tourists finally showed a willingness to adapt their Bazballing ways.

It was the recognition of the situation and a realisation that some players – Crawley included – are fighting for their futures and reputations.

After Stokes returned to bowling with seven overs from the start of play, the tourists took the last six Australia wickets for 38 runs to dismiss the hosts for 349 in their second innings.

Travis Head was eventually out for 170 and Alex Carey 72. Josh Tongue ended with 4-70 and Brydon Carse 3-80.

A four-day finish felt probable when Ben Duckett was out in the first over of England’s chase and Ollie Pope is in huge danger of being dropped for the fourth Test after falling for 17.

Then came Crawley’s show of defiance, ended by the genius of Lyon.

Marnus Labuschagne reacts sharply to take a brilliant diving catch at second slip to dismiss Ollie Pope for 17, as England fall to 31-2 on day four of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.

FOLLOW LIVE: The Ashes third Test – day four

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In front of his home crowd, Travis Head finishes unbeaten on 142 at the close on day three to help put Australia firmly in control of the third Test against England in Adelaide.

READ MORE: Head century drives England closer to Ashes defeat

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England were pushed towards the precipice of the fastest Ashes series defeat in more than 100 years as a Travis Head century maintained Australia’s grip on the third Test in Adelaide.

Head was dropped on 99 by Harry Brook and spent eight balls one run short of a hundred before belting Joe Root down the ground for four to draw a deafening roar from his home-town crowd at the Adelaide Oval.

The left-hander moved Australia’s second innings to 271-4 and their overall lead to 356 at the end of the third day.

If England’s third loss in as many Tests is completed on Saturday, it would mean the Ashes have been decided in 10 days of cricket.

Not since 1921, when Australia needed only eight days of play to win in England, has the destination of the urn been settled so swiftly.

Head’s inevitable ton snuffed out brief England hope that was raised when captain Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer added 73 runs in the morning session.

Stokes made 83 and Archer 51 in a stand of 106, the highest by an England ninth-wicket pair in Australia since 1924.

By creeping to 286 all out, 85 behind on first innings, England could have left themselves an outside chance by dismissing Australia for a total below 240 in their second innings.

At 53-2 and 149-4, England clung on before being cut adrift by Head. At some point, England will be tasked with pulling off the highest successful chase on this ground in order to keep the Ashes alive.

Of further concern to the visitors is the fitness of all-rounder Stokes, who is yet to bowl in the 66 overs of Australia’s second innings.

Harry Brook drops a tough chance to remove Travis Head, with the Australian opener on 99 with the home side on 202-4 and a lead of 287 on day three of the third Test in Adelaide.

FOLLOW LIVE: The Ashes third Test – day three

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Mitchell Starc bowls a “furious” Ben Stokes for 83, as his partnership with Jofra Archer is finally broken on 106 to leave England on 274-9 on day three of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.

FOLLOW LIVE: The Ashes third Test – day three

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England’s Brydon Carse dismisses Jake Weatherald lbw for one, but replays show the decision should have been overturned as Australia are made to regret their decision not to review, leaving the home side on 8-1, with a lead of 93, on day three of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.

FOLLOW LIVE: The Ashes third Test – day three

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The controversy on the second day follows Alex Carey being given not out on Wednesday, when England reviewed a caught-behind decision with the Australia wicketkeeper on 72.

He was given not out because the spike which appeared on the technology was out of sync with the pictures, but that was later revealed to have been an error by the operator.

The first incident on day two occurred in the 44th over, with England 149-5.

Australia appealed for a catch after a ball to Smith looped to Usman Khawaja at slip and the on-field umpires sent the decision to the TV umpire to check if the ball had carried.

TV umpire Chris Gaffaney then deliberated over various replays, first checking whether the ball had hit Smith’s glove or helmet.

Again the technology appeared inconclusive but Gaffaney deemed the ball had hit Smith’s helmet.

The hosts’ fielders were visibly disgruntled and one Australian was heard saying “Snicko needs to be sacked” over the stump microphone.

In any case it appeared the ball did not carry to Khawaja.

More contentious was the second decision, which ultimately resulted in Smith’s dismissal.

He attempted a pull shot to Pat Cummins but Australia appealed confidently for a thin snick.

Smith appeared certain he had not hit the ball and was ready to review the decision had it been given out on the field.

Again on-field umpire Nitin Menon suggested he was not sure if the ball had carried so sent the decision for Gaffaney to review.

As the players came together to await the decision, Nathan Lyon was heard asking non-striking batter Ben Stokes if he heard anything.

Gaffaney said “there is nothing obvious there” after viewing an initial replay but Snicko showed a rough spike within a frame of the ball passing the toe of Smith’s bat – the leeway allowed in such scenarios.

Smith was given out. Both he and Stokes seemed frustrated with the decision.

Pat Cummins takes his second wicket of the innings as Joe Root is caught behind for 19 as England fall to 71-4 in their first innings, 300 runs behind Australia’s 371, as the home side take control on day two of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.

FOLLOW LIVE: The Ashes third Test – day two

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Joe Root avoids being given out for one after review shows an edge behind drops just short of Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey, with England 42-3, still 329 runs behind Australia’s first innings score of 371 on day two of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.

FOLLOW LIVE: The Ashes third Test – day two

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England will hold discussions with cricket’s governing body with the aim of improving decision-making technology following a controversial error on the opening day of the third Ashes Test.

Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey survived a review for caught behind at the Adelaide Oval, only to later admit he edged the delivery bowled by England’s Josh Tongue.

Carey was given not out because the Snicko technology showed a discrepancy between the sound and pictures of the edge.

BBG, the company that provides Snicko, has admitted responsibility for the error.

At the close of play on day one, England head coach Brendon McCullum and team manager Wayne Bentley met with match referee Jeff Crowe.

Crowe confirmed the matter would be reviewed and England had a review reinstated for Australia’s first innings.

The England and Wales Cricket Board will also hold talks with the International Cricket Council (ICC) in an attempt to review and raise standards of the decision review system (DRS).

It is an ICC requirement for DRS to be in operation in all fixtures in the World Test Championship.

However, the ICC does not specify which technology providers should be used. In this instance, the Snicko system used in Australia is different from the Ultraedge employed for Tests in the UK.

Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey said he thought he edged the ball when he was given not out on review during day one of the third Ashes Test against England.

After surviving on 72, Carey went on to make a fine 106 to help the hosts reach 326-8 at the close in Adelaide.

The technology showed a large spike when England called for a review in the 63rd over but the TV pictures showed it coming before the ball had reached the bat.

“I thought there was a feather or some sort of noise when it passed the bat,” said Carey.

“If I was given out I think I would have reviewed it, probably not confidently. It was a nice sound as it passed the bat.”

There has been debate about ‘Snicko’, the technology used in such situations in Australia, throughout the series after a number of inconclusive incidents.

In the first Test in Perth, England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith was given out caught behind on review despite a spike coming after the ball had passed his bat and glove.

That was explained as being because the technology used in Australia has a two-frame gap between the pictures and the sound wave.

Bowling coach David Saker suggested England may escalate this latest incident further with match referee Jeff Crowe.

“I don’t think we’ve done anything about it so far but after today, maybe that might go a bit further,” Saker said.

“There have been concerns about it for the whole series. We shouldn’t be talking about this after a day’s play, it should just be better than that. It is what it is.”

Carey is not new to Ashes controversy. He was the wicketkeeper who famously stumped Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s in the 2023 series, resulting in a febrile final day.

On his reprieve he added: “Snicko obviously didn’t line up. It is just the way cricket goes – sometimes you have a bit of luck.

“Maybe it went my way.”

Carey was also asked if he is a ‘walker’ – the tradition where some batters leave the field without waiting for a decision if they believe they have hit the ball.

He joked “clearly not” in response.

Will Jacks gets his first Ashes wicket as he removes Usman Khawaja for 82, with the batter caught by Josh Tongue in the deep, leaving Australia 185-5 on day one of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.

FOLLOW LIVE: The Ashes third Test – day one

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