How did Day 5 of the 3rd Ashes Test go between Australia vs England? — Review, Turning Points & more
Australia retained the Ashes urn after winning the third Test against England by 82 runs at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday, December 21. Pat Cummins and Co. took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-Test series.
England started Day 5 at 207/6, needing another 228 runs for an improbable win. Overnight batters Will Jacks and Jamie Smith added 78 runs in the first session to give England hopes of something special. However, Mitchell Starc got the better of Smith when he was batting on 60.
Brydon Carse joined forces with Jacks, and the duo added a 52-run stand, bringing the required runs down to two digits. However, Starc picked up the wickets of Jacks and Jofra Archer in quick succession to peg England back. The final wicket of Josh Tongue was taken by Scott Boland as the Three Lions were bowled out for 352 in 102.5 overs.
Top batting performance of the day — Jamie Smith
Jamie Smith mixed caution with aggression and lifted England’s spirit with his 60-run knock off 83 balls. He hit seven fours and two sixes during his exhilarating knock. The wicketkeeper-batter hit two consecutive boundaries before getting out to Starc in the 83rd over, shortly after Australia had taken the second new ball.
Top bowling performance of the day — Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc took the wickets of Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, and Jofra Archer on Day 5 to finish with excellent figures of 3/62 in 17 overs. He also bowled three maidens along the way. The left-arm seamer broke the partnership between Smith and Jacks and then the one between Jacks and Carse.
THERE IS NO WAY HE HAS DONE IT AGAIN!
MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE TAKE A BOW!#Ashes | #PlayoftheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/EkxdtkFsrg
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 21, 2025
Who was the Player of the Match?
Alex Carey won the Player of the Match award for his sensational batting display in both innings of the Test match. In his first essay, the wicketkeeper-batter smashed 106 off 143 balls. He followed it up with a 128-ball 72 in the second innings.
Records Broken and Major Milestones Achieved
- The last time England breached the 350-run mark in an Ashes Test in Australia was at the MCG in 2017-18.
- 190.1 overs batted by England across the two innings is the most they have batted in a Test match in the Bazball era, surpassing 182.4 against India at Headingley earlier this year.
- England also played out 39 maidens in this Test, most since Stokes and Brendon McCullum took over in June 2022. 21 maidens in the run-chase in the most for them in an innings in the timeframe.
- Alex Carey became only the second wicketkeeper to register a century and bag seven scalps in an Ashes Test, alongside Matt Prior, who did that at the SCG in 2010-11.
- In the list of most wickets at a venue in Test cricket for Australia, Lyon is now joint-second with Shane Warne, having bagged 68 wickets in Adelaide. Warne had 68 wickets in Brisbane. Dennis Lillee leads the pack with 82 scalps in Australia.
THE moment!
Australia retains the #Ashes after a brilliant ending. pic.twitter.com/ZfOi2uOAPh
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 21, 2025
When is the next match?
The fourth Test match between Australia and England begins on Boxing Day. It will be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
India
