England’s Ashes Hopes Dwindle After Tough Day in Adelaide
Former England captain Nasser Hussain is growing concerned about England’s chances of reclaiming the Ashes after a tough second day in the third Test against Australia in Adelaide. At the end of the day, the Ben Stokes-led team found themselves at 213 for 8, still trailing Australia by 158 runs. Stokes (45) and Jofra Archer (30) were the last two batsmen at the crease, but the pressure from Australia’s bowlers has been intense.
England’s batting lineup struggled once again, failing to put up a strong performance despite the pitch seeming favorable for runs. Hussain commented that the last-minute partnership between Stokes and Archer highlighted the pitch’s quality, suggesting that England missed crucial chances earlier.
“It seems like the Ashes are slipping away after another tough day on a good pitch. That partnership at the end really shows how good the surface is,” Hussain said during his analysis on Sky Sports.
Hussain also pointed out that most of England’s first eight batsmen looked settled at first but couldn’t turn their starts into bigger scores. Apart from Stokes and Harry Brook, the rest of the batting order fell to the relentless Australian bowling attack.
“The top eight for England — except for Stokes and Harry Brook — appeared comfortable for a while but ultimately fell apart under pressure,” he explained.
While criticism of England’s performance has been rampant throughout the series, Hussain stressed that Australia’s bowlers deserve a lot of praise for their efforts, delivering a masterclass in bowing suited to local conditions.
“They have shown England exactly how to bowl here. Pitching the ball up threatens the stumps. Pat Cummins gets the ball to nip away and find the edge, while Scott Boland brings it back in to target the stumps. And Nathan Lyon, a world-class spinner, has just overtaken Glenn McGrath to become the second-highest wicket-taker for Australia in Test cricket,” he noted.
With Australia dominating both bat and ball, England faces a difficult challenge to win this Test and keep their series hopes alive. The last time England won a Test on Australian soil was in 2011, and they have lost 15 of their last 17 matches in the country. Now, with the team struggling at 213 for 8, all eyes are on Ben Stokes, who will need to perform exceptionally to help close the 158-run gap.
