Ashes 2017-18 second Test: England batting collapse in Adelaide hands Australia 2-0 series lead
England could only add 57 runs to their overnight score of 176-4 as Australia moved a step closer to taking back the Ashes.
England's batting line-up crumbled in the face of some disciplined pace bowling from Australia on the final day of the second Test in Adelaide on Wednesday, 6 December, as the hosts moved a step closer to winning back the Ashes by taking a 2-0 series lead.
Resuming on their overnight score of 176-4 and chasing a mammoth target of 354, England lost nightwatchman Chris Woakes on the second ball of the day as he feathered a catch to wicketkeeper Tim Paine off the excellent Josh Hazlewood.
The tourists' hopes of pulling off an unlikely victory suffered a mortal blow in Hazlewood's next over as skipper Joe Root edged a delivery just outside the off-stump through to Paine to fall for 67.
Moeen Ali was the next to go, out leg before to Nathan Lyon while attempting to sweep the ball across the line, before Mitchell Starc's express pace accounted for Craig Overton and Stuart Broad.
Jonny Bairstow offered some resistance with a well-made 36 before he was bowled by Starc as England were skittled out for 233, 120 runs short of the target.
England will take heart from the fact that they were able to mount a stirring fightback after being outplayed for much of the first three days in Adelaide as Australia powered ahead to a commanding 215-run first-innings lead towards the end of day three.
Home captain Steve Smith's decision not to enforce the follow-on and make England bat under the lights allowed the tourists a route back into the match, with James Anderson and Chris Woakes starring with the ball to bowl out Australia for just 138.
"We came to the ground expecting [on day five]. We were right in the game but losing early wickets hampered our chances," Root told BBC Test Match Special after England's loss.
"The way we went about it yesterday was exceptional and that has to be the benchmark going forward. That shows how we are still massively in this series."
The third Test gets underway in Perth on 14 December. England have previously won a Test just once at the Waca ground, while a team has been able to recover from a 2-0 deficit to win an Ashes series only once before, with Don Bradman's Australia managing the feat back in 1936-37.
