Perfect 10s for hometown duo; pressure mounts on struggling Aussie — Player Ratings

Australia has won the Ashes urn in just 11 days, taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series against England.

The hosts won the third Test in Adelaide by 82 runs after bowling out England for 353 on Sunday morning, with Mitchell Starc taking three wickets on Sunday.

England has not won an Ashes series in over a decade, with that drought to extend until at least 2027. The nation’s most recent triumph on Australian soil came back in January 2011.

Meanwhile, Australia is sweating on the fitness of Nathan Lyon after the veteran spinner hobbled off the field with a hamstring injury.

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England gets underway at the MCG on Boxing Day,

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TRAVIS HEAD — 10

10 and 170, 0-61

The King of Adelaide returns.

Head buried England’s Bazballers on Friday afternoon by thumping his fourth-consecutive hundred in front of friends and family at his home ground.

The South Australian, who bowled commendably with his off spin during the fourth innings, looks set to keep the opener spot for the foreseeable future.

JAKE WEATHERALD — 3

18 and 1

Weatherald was thwarted by a Jofra Archer bumper on Wednesday morning, gloving through to the wicketkeeper after a promising start in the first innings, while the gun-shy Tasmanian neglected to review an LBW shout on day three that pitched outside leg stump, a costly blunder for the Test rookie.

It was his third LBW dismissal of the series, exposing a potential technique issue.

MARNUS LABSCHAGNE — 3

19 and 13

Labuschagne’s first-innings dismissal drew plenty of criticism, a half-hearted pull towards mid-wicket that essentially gifted his wicket to the opposition on the first ball after lunch.

The Queenslander then struggled for rhythm on day three, scratching his way towards double figures before falling to seamer Josh Tongue.

However, he took a pair of epic one-handed catches in the slips cordon during the run chase, including the crucial scalp of Will Jacks on Sunday afternoon.

USMAN KHAWAJA — 8

82 and 40

Khawaja woke up on Wednesday morning expecting to carry drinks, but Steve Smith’s vertigo plight opened the door for his shock return to the national side, potentially reviving his Test career.

And the veteran Queenslander made the most of the chance, providing valuable runs in both innings of the Adelaide Test.

However, both of his dismissals came from reckless strokes, a slog-sweep on day one and a lazy cut shot on Friday. It remains to be seen whether he keeps his spot in the side when Smith returns for the MCG Test.

CAMERON GREEN — 2

0 and 7, 1-33 and 0-44

Green’s spot in the Test side is under threat after two failures with the bat in Adelaide, departing cheaply with a pair of soft dismissals.

The West Australian snared the prized scalp of Harry Brook on day two, but fellow all-rounder Beau Webster will be breathing down his neck ahead of the Boxing Day Test.

ALEX CAREY — 10

106 and 72, six catches and a stumping

Player of the match, Carey has been flawless this summer.

After notching his third Test hundred on day one — albeit with some help from the Snicko technology — the wicketkeeper combined with fellow South Australian Travis Head for a 162-run partnership in the second innings to shatter England’s chances of an Adelaide miracle.

He also set a new record for most runs by a wicketkeeper in a men’s Ashes Test.

His glovework, as usual, was nothing short of superb.

JOSH INGLIS — 4

32 and 10

Inglis made a promising start with the bat on day one but couldn’t convert it into a substantial score, with the West Australian dismissed by England quick Josh Tongue in both innings.

With Steve Smith set to return to the starting XI for the Boxing Day Test, he’s a risk of facing the axe ahead of the Melbourne clash.

PAT CUMMINS — 9

3-69 and 3-48

Returning from a back injury, Cummins showed the Australians what they had been missing by ripping through England’s top order in both innings at Adelaide Oval.

The New South Welshman continued his stranglehold over Joe Root, removing the England champion twice in almost identical fashion.

It was an impressive return from the Australian skipper, who showed no signs of rust this week

MITCHELL STARC — 8

1-61 and 3-62

Following consecutive player-of-the-match performances in Perth and Brisbane, Starc has less of an impact with the ball in the South Australian capital this week, but still snared the crucial scalp of England captain Ben Stokes on Friday morning.

He helped clean up the tail during the run chase on day four, breaking the 91-run partnership between Will Jacks and Jamie Smith.

The left-hander also notched a half-century in the first innings, his second of the series, to frustrate England’s bowlers.

NATHAN LYON — 8

2-70 and 3-77

Having missed selection for the Brisbane Test, Lyon returned to the Test side in dramatic scenes, taking two wickets in his first over at Adelaide Oval to rip the head off England’s top order in the first innings.

The veteran tweaker at one stage conceded 118 runs without taking a wicket — occasionally dropping short — but aided by the venue’s turning deck, he bounced back in the fourth innings to help Australia seal the series triumph. His dismissals of Ben Duckett on Thursday and Ben Stokes on Saturday have drawn comparisons to Shane Warne’s Ball of the Century.

However, the 38-year-old sustained a hamstring injury on day five, putting him in doubt for the remainder of the series.

SCOTT BOLAND — 8

3-45 and 1-35

Boland was absolutely relentless with his lengths throughout the third Ashes Test, nagging away in the channel across both innings.

He didn’t take any top-order wickets in Adelaide, but his economy rate of 2.4 was the lowest of the match among his Australian teammates.

The Victorian secured the Ashes with the dismissal of Josh Tongue on Sunday afternoon.