The Ashes: Australia v England – third Test, Day One
By Martin Parry, ABC
Photo: William West
An emotional Alex Carey delivered a majestic 106 on home soil, while Usman Khawaja produced a stubborn 82 to put Australia firmly in control of the third Ashes Test against England. Batting after captain Pat Cummins won the toss as Adelaide’s temperature neared 36°C, the hosts closed play at 326-8 on day one, a day shadowed by the unexpected illness that ruled out Steve Smith.
Mitchell Starc remained unbeaten on 33, with Nathan Lyon still to score.
"To reach a hundred here in front of home fans and family was something special," Carey told Australian TV, his voice thick with emotion. Celebrating his maiden Ashes century, Carey looked skyward in a tribute to his father, Gordon, who passed away from cancer in September.
"I think you understand why I was looking up there. I’m trying not to get choked up. But it felt fantastic." Carey’s wife Eloise was visibly moved as he celebrated, and Carey added, "Having mum, brother, sister, Eloise, and the kids here made it a really special moment."
England’s bowlers faced a demanding day, with Jofra Archer finishing with 3-29 as they toiled in the heat.
England bowling coach David Saker praised his side’s effort, saying, "I thought it was a solid performance from our bowlers; the heat caught us a little off guard, but the guys kept at it. Archer had a point to prove, backed by good support, and he maintained his pace and targeted the stumps."
Khawaja gets a reprieve
Australia lead the five-Test series 2-0 and will retain the Ashes with either a win or a draw, following back-to-back eight-wicket victories in Perth and Brisbane.
Smith, who has more than 10,000 international runs, had been feeling unwell during the lead-up but was named in the side on Tuesday. He appeared on the field during warm-ups but left the ground 20 minutes before the toss, head shaking as he departed.
His absence opened the door for Khawaja, who turns 39 on Thursday and had earlier been overlooked as an opener in favor of Travis Head and Jake Weatherald. Khawaja, who missed Brisbane due to back spasms in Perth, seized his chance with a measured, resilient knock.
He finally fell just before tea, slog-sweeping a Will Jacks delivery to Josh Tongue in the deep off the spin of Will Jacks.
Carey then carried the innings forward, first with fellow-wicketkeeper Josh Inglis (32), then with captain Cummins (13), and later with Starc, who again demonstrated his batting prowess.
Carey struck eight fours and a six on his third Test hundred, achieving the landmark with a crowd of 56,298—the largest cricket attendance at the venue.
Archer’s impact after lunch
A fiery first over after lunch from Archer jolted Australia, leaving them at 94-4. He dismissed Marnus Labuschagne for 19 with his first ball of the session, and two balls later sent Cameron Green packing, with Brydon Carse taking two catches at midwicket.
Inglis and Cummins were dismissed in the late session by Tongue and Carse respectively.
Out of respect for the victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting, players from both teams wore black armbands. A moment of silence was observed before the game, with security tightened and flags flown at half-mast.
Early momentum and missed chances
At the start, Weatherald raced to 18 off 27 balls but was undone by Archer’s pace, who delivered a rising bouncer that induced a top-edge to Jamie Smith behind the stumps.
Head followed in the next over for 10, as Zak Crawley snapped up a sensational instinctive catch low to his left off Carse.
Khawaja, on five, survived a sharp moment when Harry Brook shelved a regulation chance at second slip, later going on to reach his 28th Test fifty amid cheers.
Carey also found life on 52 when Carse dropped a tough chance in the covers, going on to become Australia’s third consecutive centurion of the day before ultimately falling to a top-edge off Will Jacks that Smith snapped up just before stumps.
- ABC
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