Australia Seal Ashes as England’s Promise Falls Flat

Australia sealed the Ashes in Adelaide with an 82-run victory, taking an unassailable 3–0 lead and exposing the gap between promise and performance. Less than an hour after the win, captain Pat Cummins was barefoot on the outfield with his son — a relaxed image that reflected just how comfortable Australia had become. Hyped as England’s best chance in decades to challenge Australia at home, this series instead followed a familiar script. Calm, clinical and relentless, Australia dictated conditions from the outset, needing just 11 days to shut down talk of legacy and reinvention. England showed brief flashes of resistance, including a spirited final-morning stand, but reckless shot-making quickly ended any hope. It was not Bazball, but old habits under pressure. As an injured Nathan Lyon stood on one leg to join the team song, the message was clear: Australia battered, united, and once again undisputed Ashes holders.