England will need to chase down a world record target of 435 runs to keep their inconceivable Ashes aspirations alive, after Australia continued to pile on the runs on the first morning of day four in Adelaide.
Hometown heroes Travis Head and Alex Carey resumed at the crease with an already-daunting lead behind them, and it was clear from the get-go that only they themselves would get themselves out.
The former passed 150 early on in the morning session, with some brutal off-side strokeplay piercing the England field regularly.
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His eventual downfall was a mis-timed pull shot to Zak Crawley at deep square leg, clapped ceremoniously off the ground for a score of 170.
Head fell just five runs short of his highest-ever Test score, made at the same ground just over three years ago against the West Indies.
Carey looked every chance of becoming just the third wicketkeeper to ever make two hundreds in the same Test, before strangling himself down the leg side for 72.
A lower-order collapse saw Australia eventually bowled out for 349, after losing 6/38 to finish their innings. England will need to survive 12 minutes with the bat before the lunch break.
The South Australian pair combined for 358 runs in the match, in what has been enthralling viewing for locals who have turned out in record numbers.
Only four teams have ever chased down a target greater than 400 at Test level, with only two of those instances coming in the last 49 years.
Should the Poms chase down the miraculous total set for them, it would see them break the current record by 17 runs.
England captain Ben Stokes, after not bowling any of his side’s 66 overs with the ball yesterday, began proceedings from the Cathedral end to get through seven overs.
The 34-year-old was dealt the awkward task of managing Jofra Archer before the new ball for 14 overs, which ultimately meant the speedster wasn’t seen with ball-in-hand for the first 75 minutes of play.
Josh Tongue proved himself the visitors’ best bowler for the innings, finishing with figures of 4/70.
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