Ashes 2013
Reuters

Australia have taken a 2-0 lead in the Ashes after beating England by 218 runs on the final day of the Adelaide Test. The two teams now travel to Perth to play the third Test in a do-or-die match for the visitors.

The hosts had won the first match by 318 runs and went from strength to strength in the second Test as they obliterated the England batting order, taking 20 wickets while allowing less than 500 runs. England finished their innings at 312 from 11.4 overs to mark a feeble conclusion to their resistance. On the bowling front, Peter Siddle shone with four wickets while Ryan Harris did not do his reputation any harm by picking up three.

Joe Root (87) and Matt Prior (69) were the pick of the batsmen for England while Stuart Broad scored a quickfire 29 to take England past the 300-run mark for the first time this series.

Australia, who had not won a Test match in seven before this series, have now won two on the bounce while England, who had been unbeaten in 13, are now in dire straits. Alastair Cook will need to rally his team if they are to gain anything out of the series, with the England captain well aware his side have never won the Ashes after being 2-0 down.

However, in spite of the problems Cook is confident that they can bounce back and will be going to Perth with a will to turn things around.

"A 2-0 lead is not insurmountable. We have to dust ourselves off, work really hard and believe it can be turned around. It's hurting like hell, but the only ones who can do anything about it is us," Cook said.

"I don't know what has gone wrong in the past couple of games. We are very good players, but you can only say that for so long. We have to deliver.

"What has happened at Perth before is a total irrelevance to this side. We have to go there as this side, in 2013, and do something special. Good players turn it around. That's what we must do," he added.

Australia