The Ashes: Travis Head’s century pushes England closer to defeat

England were pushed to the brink of their quickest Ashes series defeat in more than 100 years as Travis Head’s century maintained Australia’s grip in the third Test in Adelaide.

Head was dropped on 99 by Harry Brook and he spent eight balls short of a century before belting Joe Root down the ground for four to elicit a deafening roar from his hometown crowd at Adelaide Oval.

The left-hander took Australia’s second innings beyond 200 and their overall lead towards 300.

If England’s third loss in as many Tests is completed on Saturday, it would mean the Ashes have been decided within 10 days of cricket.

Not since 1921, when Australia needed just eight days of play to win in England, has the urn’s destination been decided so quickly.

Head’s inevitable ton dashed England’s brief hope raised when skipper Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer added 73 runs in the morning session.

Stokes made 83 and Archer 51 in a stand of 106, the highest by an England ninth pair in Australia since 1924.

Creeping to 286 all out, trailing by 85 in the first innings, England could have left themselves an outside chance by dismissing Australia with a total of less than 240 in the second innings.

At 53-2 and 149-4, England hung on before being beheaded. At some point, England will be tasked with carrying out the most successful manhunt on this Earth in order to keep Ash alive.

Also of concern to the visitors is the fitness of all-rounder Stokes, who is yet to play in Australia’s second tour.