Travis Head owned Day 3 of the Ashes 3rd Test. He hammered a brilliant century and put Australia firmly in control. England pushed back a bit in the morning, but it just wasn’t enough. By stumps, Australia sat comfortably at 271 for 4, leading by 356 runs. Travis Head was still there on 142, with Alex Carey keeping him company on 52.
| Score at the end of Day 3 | AUS – 4/271 |
|---|---|
| England’s Top Performer (Bowling) | Josh Tongue—2 Wickets for 59 Runs |
| Australia’s Top Performer (Batting) | Travis Head—142*(196) with 13 boundaries and 2 sixes |
| Best Fielding Performance | Harry Brook took a stunning catch of Labuschagne in the slip. |
England’s Morning Fightback
England started Day 3 at 213 for 8, with Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer out there. These two didn’t look rattled at all. They dug in against Australia’s bowlers, putting together a ninth-wicket partnership that really stood out.
They hit their 50-run stand pretty quickly—just 89 balls. Archer chipped in 31, and Stokes 18: nothing flashy, just smart running and the odd boundary to keep things moving.
Stokes eventually reached his fifty. He took his time—159 balls—and only hit four boundaries, but he was solid. You could see the pressure, but he just kept going. England made it past 250 in the 78th over.
At 80.1 overs, Australia grabbed the new ball, hoping it’d finally break this stand. But Stokes and Archer kept hanging in there, refusing to give in.
Historic Partnership
The ninth-wicket partnership was something else. Together, Stokes and Archer pushed their stand to 100 runs off 164 balls. Stokes had 49, Archer sat on 48, and a handful of extras nudged them to the hundred.
By the time drinks rolled around, England had clawed their way to 270 for 8. Stokes picked up the pace and raced to 81. Archer was still steady on 48. You could feel the crowd getting behind them, loving the grit.
Then came Archer’s big moment. He brought up his first-ever Test fifty—it took him 97 balls, and he cracked five boundaries and smashed a six. For a tailender, he looked every bit a real batter out there.
Australia tried to break through. In the 85th over, they reviewed an LBW call against Josh Tongue. The umpire said not out, and the review stuck with him—“Umpire’s Call,” so Tongue survived. In the end, England were all out for 286 in just over 87 overs, with Tongue still there on seven not out.
Australia’s Second Innings Begins
Australia kicked off their second innings already up by 85 runs. They lost a wicket of Weatherland early, but honestly, it didn’t seem to bother them much. By lunch, they’d crawled to 17 for one after five overs—Travis Head had five runs, and Marnus Labuschagne just 4.
A bit later, England thought they trapped Labuschagne LBW in the eighth over. Umpire Ahsan Raza said not out, and the review didn’t go England’s way. Labuschagne survived.
Australia hit the 50-run mark in the 15th over, though they’d already handed over nine extras. Not long after, they lost another wicket. When players broke for drinks, Australia was 53 for 2, with Head looking settled on 30.
Head Takes Charge
Travis Head didn’t waste time after that shaky start. He hit his half-century in just 72 balls, slamming five boundaries along the way. His bold style really turned up the heat on England.
Then came Usman Khawaja, calm and reliable, just what Head needed. The two settled in and started building something big for the third wicket. They raced to a 50-run stand in only 58 balls—Head chipped in 27, and Khawaja added 22.
By tea, Australia had reached 119 for 2. Head was cruising on 68, and Khawaja was steady on 27. England, desperate for a breakthrough, just couldn’t break through.
Evening Dominance
Australia kept pushing after tea, moving past 150 runs in just over 37 overs. Head looked rock-solid, handling every English bowler with ease. Even though the hosts lost a couple more wickets, Head found good support in Alex Carey. Those two really steadied things, putting together a partnership that changed the whole mood of the match. They brought up their fifty-run stand in just 70 balls.
He was closing in on his hundred, playing with absolute confidence. By the time they stopped for drinks, Australia was 199 for 4. Head sat on 97, Carey on 26, and you could feel that a significant milestone was just around the corner.
Head’s Magnificent Hundred
Travis Head hammered his century in 146 balls, and you could see how much it meant to him. He cracked eight boundaries and cleared the rope twice, soaking up a standing ovation from the MCG crowd. Australia pushed past 250 in just over 61 overs.
For the fifth wicket, Head and Carey stitched together a solid 100-run stand in 151 balls—Head chipped in 59, and Carey added 38. Then Carey got to his own fifty, reaching the mark in 84 balls with four boundaries. He played the supporting role perfectly, letting Head take center stage.
Day’s End Summary
Australia closed out Day 3 on 271 for 4 after 66 overs. Head was brilliant, still there on 142, while Carey kept him company with 52. With a lead of 356 runs and 6 wickets left, the hosts are in total control.
The atmosphere was buzzing—over 53,000 fans packed the stands to watch it all unfold. Now England’s backs are firmly against the wall. If they want to survive this test, they have to strike early tomorrow. Otherwise, it’s all slipping away.
