England were pushed to the precipice of the fastest Ashes series defeat in more than 100 years when a century from Travis Head kept Australia in control in the third Test in Adelaide.
Harry Brook dropped Head on 99 and took eight balls to a century before bowling Joe Root for four to elicit a deafening roar from his hometown crowd at the Adelaide Oval.
The left-hander took Australia’s second innings to over 200 and their overall lead to 300.
If England’s third defeat in as many Tests is completed on Saturday, it would mean the Ashes will be decided in 10 days of cricket.
Not since 1921, when Australia needed just eight days of play to win in England, had the fate of the ballot box been decided so quickly.
Head’s inevitable ton extinguished England’s brief hope that arose when captain Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer added 73 runs in the morning session.
Stokes made 83 and Archer 51 in a stand of 106, the highest by an England ninth-wicket pair in Australia since 1924.
Reaching 286 all out, 85 behind in the first innings, England could have left themselves a long shot by dismissing Australia for a total below 240 in their second innings.
At 53-2 and 149-4, England held on until Head set them adrift. At some point, England will be tasked with carrying out the most successful chase on this ground to keep the Ashes alive.
Another concern for the visitors is the fitness of all-rounder Stokes, who is yet to bowl in Australia’s second innings.
