Australia is on the cusp of retaining the Ashes after a dominant performance against England on day four of the third test at the Adelaide Oval. Nathan Lyon's crucial wickets late in the day significantly dented England's hopes of chasing down a record-breaking 435 runs to keep the series alive. England closed the day at 207 for 6, still needing an improbable 228 runs for victory.

England's hopes now rest on Will Jacks (11) and Jamie Smith (2), but the odds are heavily stacked against them. Australia needs just four more wickets on day five to secure the win and retain the Ashes. Should Australia achieve this victory, they will have retained the Ashes in just 11 days, a feat unmatched since 1921 when Australia achieved it in just eight days of play.

The day began with Australia resuming their second innings at 271 for 4, with Travis Head and Alex Carey looking to build on their already substantial lead. The pair initially feasted on some loose bowling, with Head reaching 150, before England managed to wrap up the innings for 349. Head was eventually dismissed for a magnificent 170, while Carey contributed a valuable 72.

Set a target of 435, England's chase got off to a disastrous start. Ben Duckett fell early, edging Pat Cummins to Marnus Labuschagne. Ollie Pope, under pressure to perform, also failed, caught by Labuschagne off Cummins for 17. Zak Crawley and Joe Root then combined for a partnership, offering some resistance before Root was removed by Cummins for 39.

Crawley continued to fight, reaching a well-deserved 85, but England's hopes dwindled in the final session as Lyon took control. He first bowled Harry Brook for 30 with a classic off-break, before removing Ben Stokes for just 5. Lyon then completed a devastating spell by dismissing Crawley, stumped by Alex Carey.

Australia already leads the series 2-0 after dominant victories in Perth and Brisbane. England must win to keep the five-match series alive, but face a daunting task at Adelaide Oval, where no team has ever chased down more than 316. The largest successful run chase in Test history remains the West Indies' 418 against Australia in 2003. With the pitch deteriorating and Australia's bowlers in fine form, England's chances of pulling off a miracle appear slim.