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On Day 4 of the third Ashes 2025-26 Test, Australia dominated the proceedings after setting a target of 435. Zak Crawley abandoned the Bazball approach and helped England claw their way back into the game only to loosen their grip and lose three wickets in the space of 17 runs in the last session of the day. Hosts Australia need four wickets on Day 5 to win the third Test and retain Ashes once again.
Crawley leads the way
Starting the Day 4 for 5/1 having lose Ben Duckett to Pat Cummins, Ollie Pope did not look comfortable. Cummins did not take much time to prey on Pope's weakness and the out-of-form batter was caught at second slip by Marnus Labuschagne for a 29-ball 17. Joe Root and Crawley looked to dig in their heels and keep the scoreboard ticking. At the end of the first session, both batters were in their 30s and England had 106/2 on the board.
Root falls to Cummins again!
In his first over after the first session, Cummins dismissed Root for the 13th time in Tests. In the 36th over, Crawley reached his fifty from 102 deliveries. Travis Head was introduced to exploit the conditions tilting in spinners' favour as well but couldn’t get a breakthrough.
Lyon strikes thrice
Crawley and Harry Brook were building a partnership and England were recovering but the latter played a reckless reverse-sweep shot. Brook got bowled, putting pressure on England back again. A few overs later, Lyon bowled a peach of a delivery to beat skipper Ben Stokes and hit the timber. Stokes got bowled for five runs from 18 deliveries. In his next over, Lyon drew Crawley forward and he got stumped. The opener departed after scoring 85 runs from 151 balls, including eight fours.
No more wickets fell on Day 4. England were 207/6 with Will Jacks and Jamie Smith in the middle, needing 228 more runs to win.
On Day 5, England face an uphill task. Draw is not an option and they have a mountain of runs ahead of them to chase down.
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