The 10 moments that decided the Ashes

Australia have retained the Ashes at the earliest opportunity by taking an unassailable 3-0 lead over England with victory in the third Test in Adelaide.

It is the fourth consecutive Ashes series down under where Australia have gone 3-0 up - and this time England unravelled in just 11 days of cricket.

Some might say it was over before it began because of England's preparation but here are the top 10 moments that decided the 2025-26 Ashes on the field...

After a brilliant fast bowling display to dismiss Australia for 132, England were 65-1 in their second innings shortly after lunch on day two of the first Test in Perth, leading by 105 and seemingly in control.

What followed was a horrific collapse, including losing three wickets for no runs in six balls, to be bowled out for 164.

Australia still needed 205 to win on a tricky pitch at Perth Stadium and England had a chance of victory if their bowlers could fire again.

But Travis Head, promoted to open because of Usman Khawaja's back spasms, savagely took England down - smashing a sublime 123 off 83 balls to help seal an eight-wicket win inside two days.

Brisbane has provided plenty of Ashes misery for England, with 1986 the last time the tourists won a Test at the Gabba.

However, England won the toss in the day-night second Test, batted first and were well placed at 176-3.

Then came Harry Brook's brain fade when set on 31 - flaying a wild drive at pink-ball maestro Mitchell Starc to second slip in the twilight. Ben Stokes made a mistake to be run out by Josh Inglis shortly after.

Although Joe Root went on to hit his first century in Australia, England only made 334 on a good batting surface.

Again England had the chance to make up for their mistakes, only to put in a woeful fielding performance on day two at the Gabba.

They dropped or missed five clear chances overall, the most costly being wicketkeeper Jamie Smith's drop of Head on three and Ben Duckett shelling Alex Carey on nought.

Head only scored 30 more runs but that drop set the tone. Australia went on the attack, reaching 100 off just 17.2 overs, while Carey would go on to make 63.

England still had hope of quickly dismissing Australia on day three in Brisbane to limit their first-innings deficit.

But Starc, who had tormented the tourists with the ball, showed them how to bat too. The left-hander struck a superb 77 to help the hosts post 511 - a lead of 177.

England needed to show discipline to erase Australia's lead and give their bowlers a challenging target to defend.

They reached 90-1, but under-pressure duo Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley both drove on the up to chip return catches to Michael Neser and England crumbled to 241 all out.

It took Australia just 10 overs to pass their target of 65, with Steve Smith crashing a six to seal victory after a fiery exchange with Jofra Archer.

Usman Khawaja's Ashes - and perhaps even international career - looked to be over when he was ruled out of the second Test with a back injury and then initially not picked in the XI for the third Test at the Adelaide Oval.

But Steve Smith's illness saw him recalled to bat at number four and he arrived at the crease inside 10 overs as Australia slipped to 33-2.

Khawaja had five when he nicked a flaying drive off Josh Tongue to second slip, where Brook shelled a tough chance but one he would expect to take. It would have left Australia 50-3. Instead, Khawaja went on to make 82.

Australia were 245-6 and Carey on 72 when England thought they had him caught behind off Tongue. Umpire Ahsan Raza rejected the appeal and England immediately reviewed.

Despite a large of sound on the Snicko technology, TV umpire Chris Gaffaney did not overturn the decision because the ball appeared to be away from the bat when the sound occured.

It later emerged it was a mistake by the Snicko operator, who used the microphone at the bowlers' end used, rather than the strikers' end.

BBG Sports, the company that owns Snicko, accepted culpability and there was more controversy around the technology involving England keeper Smith the following day.

Meanwhile, Carey went on to make a crucial century on his home ground as Australia posted 371.

England needed to make use of a decent day-two Adelaide pitch to bat well on - but Australia's supreme bowling attack put in their finest display of the series.

Captain Pat Cummins starred on his return from injury, picking up the key wicket of Joe Root to leave England reeling on 71-4.

Speaking on Test Match Special, former England spinner Alex Hartley said: "It's done, it's dusted, Australia - give them the urn."

Cummins got Root again in the second innings and has dismissed him 13 times in Tests - more than any other bowler.

Stokes and Archer fought admirably to reduce the damage and England trailed by 85 after the first innings.

With the hosts 149-4 in their second innnings, 234 ahead, England perhaps even had hope of knocking the rest over cheaply and leaving themselves a tough but not unfeasible chase.

Head had other ideas. Australia's makeshift masterstroke of moving Head to opener paid off once again as the South Australian smacked a sublime 170 on his home ground to put the Test beyond England.

Chasing a nominal 435 to win, Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon worked his magic on a turning track before the seamers finished the job as England fell to an 82-run defeat.