Zak Crawley accepted England were “staring down the barrel” of an Ashes wipeout after failing to match a superior Australia side.
England have come up short against their biggest rivals over the course of three dispiriting Tests and are facing the prospect of arriving in Melbourne for the prestigious Boxing Day Test with their campaign in tatters.
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A two-day implosion in Perth was followed by a heavy loss under lights at the Gabba and only a fifth-day miracle at the Adelaide Oval would prevent them going 3-0 down and keep a one-sided series alive.
Crawley gamely attempted to make a world record chase of 435 seem achievable with a gritty knock of 85, banishing his trademark exuberance for an innings of studied resolve, but could not survive a game-breaking spell from Nathan Lyon.
The star spinner took three key scalps for seven runs in the space of 20 deliveries, clean bowling Harry Brook and Ben Stokes before having Crawley stumped by Alex Carey.
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At the close, England were barely clinging on by their fingertips at 207 for six, with 228 still needed.
Lyon’s contribution was the latest example of Australia flexing their muscles, having won the head-to-heads in batting, pace bowling and catching over the past month.
A chastened Crawley admitted: “I like to keep it simple and I do just think they’ve been better than us.
“Obviously we’ve been slightly short of our best but credit has to go them, they haven’t allowed us to be at our best. They are a top team in their own conditions and they’ve made it hard for us. They’re a very, very good side.
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Nathan Lyon was the latest Australian to contribute in a dominant series (Robbie Stephenson/PA)
“It’s disappointing, we came here to win the Ashes and we’re staring down the barrel now. It was always going to be tough coming here against them: they were the favourites coming in to it and they’ve proven why.”
A reckoning is coming for this team, who are looking at the prospect of two dead rubbers in front of packed houses in Melbourne and Sydney. In the longer term, careers are on the line, both in the XI and for the decision-makers at the top.
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Crawley’s inconsistency and middle-of-the-road returns at the head of the innings put him squarely on the list of those who must prove they can be part of the next chapter. His determined effort here, which started with just one run from his first 28 balls, was a step in the right direction but he denied feeling the heat.
“If anything I felt really relaxed today and that’s why I played nicely,” he said.
“I was just trying to play and take the scoreboard out of it. I felt quite calm. I was purposefully slower and I certainly didn’t change my technique.”
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Crawley defended struggling team-mate Ollie Pope (Robbie Stephenson/PA)
The under-fire Ollie Pope was unable to give a better account of himself, brilliantly caught by Marnus Labuschagne for 17. Awkwardly, that is also his average across 16 Ashes innings and he seems sure to be cut loose after losing all sense of authority at number three.
“I feel like Popey gets a hard time and I’m trying to work out why,” said Crawley.
“In a lot of occasions where we need him to score runs he has done. He’s had a couple of quiet games but I think he’s an unbelievably good player who plays in a really hard role.”
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