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Received yesterday β€” 18 December 2025

Australia v England: Ashes third Test, day three – live

Hosts seek to build on 85-run first innings lead at Adelaide Oval
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Enough talk, Scott Boland is about to bowl the first over of day three. It’s much cooler in Adelaide, around 26 degrees.

β€œHonestly, it’s not England’s batting – that’s pretty much on par with Australia’s,” writes Andy Roberts. β€œThe glaring difference is the bowling. If Australian batters look better, it’s because they are getting a lot more bad balls to hit. England couldn’t score any faster yesterday because the bowling was consistently accurate and tested the batter’s technique and concentration over after over, with no weak links. Compare that to England, with Jacks and Carse sending down rubbish time and time again.

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Β© Photograph: Robbie Stephenson/PA

Β© Photograph: Robbie Stephenson/PA

Β© Photograph: Robbie Stephenson/PA

Received before yesterday

Australia v England: Ashes third Test, day two – live

Australia all out for 371; England fume over Snicko call
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The consensus is that today and tomorrow will be the best days to bat. England need to go huge, because they won’t fancy chasing too many against Nathan Lyon on day five.

β€œAs the cliche has it, it’s a crucial first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh hour,” writes Gary Naylor. β€œAre Australia bringing 871 Test wickets into an already winning team or imbalancing their attack with a couple of rusty bowlers? Are England Bazball zealots or pragmatic pros? Did 2006 happen at all? Feels like the opening credits of an episode of Soap.”

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Β© Photograph: Robbie Stephenson/PA

Β© Photograph: Robbie Stephenson/PA

Β© Photograph: Robbie Stephenson/PA

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