Australia 14-0
Carse is a little loose and sends down a short wide delivery which Head leaps on and cuts him away for four runs.
The rest of the over is tighter and Carse is still getting the ball to swing.
The Australian batters have been watchful though and they’ve not offered anything up for England… yet.
Mike Jones16 December 2025 23:50
Australia 10-0
Archer is slowly ramping up his pace. His first over was around 83mph and the first few balls in this second one are hitting 87mph.
The batters work him around for a few singles.
An easy three runs from it.
Mike Jones16 December 2025 23:45
Australia 7-0
Gus Atkinson has been replaced with Josh Tongue for this Test and as such Brydon Carse is given the new ball.
Carse comes round the wicket to Head from the off and gets the ball to swing into the left-hander.
Head manages to work him away for a single to deep fine leg.
Weatherald’s first delivery off Carse sees him edge the ball into the ground and it almost rolls back onto his stumps but he manages to keep it out.
Carse gets the next ball to hoop back into the pads and the swing does for Weatherald who is pinned on the thigh pad.
England are excited about this movement. Carse hits Weatherald’s pads this time but the appeal is half-hearted and was probably missing anyway.
Four! Weatherald then leans into a fuller delivery and rolls it through square leg for the first boundary of the innings.
Mike Jones16 December 2025 23:41
Australia 1-0
Australia are underway. Head drops a block into the offside and scrambles through for the first run of the Test.
Head’s last five innings here have seen him score three hundreds and a fifty. That’s a decent record.
Jake Weatherald’s first ball sees him get in behind and plods the ball back to Archer.
Just the one from the over.
Mike Jones16 December 2025 23:36
Start of play: Australia 0-0
Jofra Archer has the ball in hand for the first over. It really does seem like a day for batting so it could be hard work for England who will need to start well.
Archer comes steaming in and flings the first delivery down on a good length, slightly angled away from the left-handed Travis Head.
He plays inside it and lets the ball go safely through to Jamie Smith behind the stumps.
We’re underway in Adelaide…
Mike Jones16 December 2025 23:33
Almost ready for the third Test to begin
Ok, we’re not far away from the actual cricket getting underway now. Can England pull a rabbit out of the hat and salvage this Ashes series to keep things alive heading to the MCG?
We’re about to begin to find out!
Luke Baker16 December 2025 23:24
Minute’s silence for Bondi Beach victims
Both teams have made their way out onto the pitch and there is a minute’s silence before the national anthems.
Adelaide falls silent in respect of the victims of the mass shooting on Bondi Beach last week.
Mike Jones16 December 2025 23:22
Cummins’ thoughts at the toss
Here are the thoughts of the Australian captain: “I want to bat first. Wicket looks really good and the sun is shining. A good day to bat.
“It feels like a regulation Test match. I don’t think you need to get too funky.
“Steve [Smith] is feeling a bit unwell. He came and had a crack this morning. He has headed off home. Good we have someone like Usman [Khawaja] who can step right in. He will bat at four.
“I feel great. Preparation has been awesome. Been itching to get out here for a while, so I need to make it count.
“He [Nathan Lyon] is pretty fresh coming into this one so no doubt he will get a few overs pumped into him.”
Mike Jones16 December 2025 23:19
How to watch the Ashes
A reminder how you can watch the Ashes as we edge closer to this Test getting underway.
Play will begin each day at 11.30pm GMT at the Adelaide Oval and all the action will be shown live in the UK on TNT Sports. The broadcaster drew some criticism for its plans for the series, which is in part being broadcast from a studio in the United Kingdom.
Luke Baker16 December 2025 23:15
Khawaja to bat at four
It’s an interesting call from Australia who have decided to slot Usman Khawaja in at four to replace Steve Smith.
That means that Travis Head will continue to open the batting alongside Jake Weatherald.
Khawaja opened at Perth but Head’s displays so far have seen him keep hold of that opening spot.
(Robbie Stephenson/PA Wire)
Mike Jones16 December 2025 23:12
