Day 3 of the fifth Ashes Test really turned the match on its head. Australia walked out with their backs against the wall, but you could see they were up for the fight. England came hard, hunting for wickets, but Australia had other ideas—they just kept stringing together solid partnerships. The day belonged to the batters at the top, who made it look easy at times.
| Score at the end of Day 3 | Australia 518/7 in 124 overs lead by 134 runs |
| England’s top performer | Bryndon Carse 23-02-108-03 (3 wickets) |
| Australia’s top performer | Travis Head 163/Steven Smith 129* |
Ashes 5th Test Day 3 Session 1
Travis Head Reaches a Hundred as Australia Builds Momentum
Travis Head and Michael Neser kicked things off in the morning. Both looked settled, calm, and unbothered by the pressure. England’s bowlers kept things tight, but they just couldn’t find that breakthrough early on. Head wasted no time getting comfortable. He played straight, punished anything loose, and kept the runs ticking over. The way he rotated the strike took the heat off Neser, who seemed happy to play the supporting role from the other end. After the drinks break, Neser plumbed in front and was given not out, but England reviewed, and thus Neser’s innings came to an end.
Head’s century was all about patience. He didn’t smash his way there—it was steady, careful work. When he finally reached three figures, the crowd erupted, and you could tell what it meant to him. England threw everything at them, mixing up the attack, but he just wouldn’t budge. Smith backed up Head, doing all the little things right, and soon Australia sailed past a hundred runs in the innings.
By the time lunch rolled around, Australia had lost only one wicket for the day and had piled on some handy runs. Head was still out there, unbeaten on his hundred, and looked hungry for even more.
Ashes 5th Test Day 3 Session 2
Head Falls After 163, Steve Smith Takes Charge
England came out after lunch, fired up. The bowlers went straight at the stumps, really cranking up the pressure. Then finally, they got the wicket they needed—Travis Head, out for 163. That was a big one. Head’s innings mattered. He mixed brilliant shot-making with gritty defense, chopped down the target, and set things up nicely for Australia.
After that, Steve Smith stepped in and took over. He looked so calm, so settled. Early on, he soaked up the heat from the bowlers, never rushed, and pounced on anything even a little off line. His footwork? Sharp as ever. He barely made a mistake. Smith kept the middle order ticking, building one partnership after another so Australia never slipped. England managed to snag another wicket, but Smith just kept everything steady. No panic. No collapse.
As the session wore on, Smith crept closer to his hundred. And then, with a tidy shot through the covers, he got there—another Ashes century for him. Australia made it to tea with Smith still unbeaten on his hundred. England had a couple of wickets, but really, the match could go either way.
Ashes 5th Test Day 3 Session 3
Smith Anchors, England Strike Late
Australia walked out in the final session just wanting to bat as long as possible and keep things steady. Steve Smith kept things calm in the middle, ticking off singles and helping the younger guys settle in. England kept pressing for a breakthrough. The bowlers hit good areas, attacking both the pads and the off stump, and they didn’t let up. That pressure finally paid off late in the session.
Smith eventually went on to score 129*, a gutsy innings when his team needed it most. He played with absolute patience and knew precisely what the situation called for.
England’s hopes were up heading into the next day. Even so, Australia’s lower middle order dug in and made sure there wasn’t a late collapse. By the close of Day 3, Australia had already taken a mighty lead of 134 runs to feel good about their chances. England kept themselves in it with those late wickets, so the game’s still wide open.
Day 3 Summary
Day 3 was all about standout performances. Travis Head smashed 163 in the morning, really setting things up for Australia. Later, Steve Smith anchored the team with his 129*, keeping the innings steady when it mattered most.
England pushed back, grabbing wickets just when they needed them. Australia kept its cool and stuck to its plans, even when things got tricky. Heading into the 2nd last day, both sides still look hungry for the win. This one’s going right down to the wire.
