How England lost the Ashes to old rivals Australia in just 11 days
Published 21/12/2025 at 15:01 GMT
England arrived in Australia talking up their chances of a first away win since 2011. Eleven days of cricket later, the Ashes were gone. A series of pivotal moments - from questionable preparation and costly errors in the field to familiar collapses and contentious decisions - combined to deliver a brutally swift outcome. These are the flashpoints that decided the fate of the urn.
Highlights: Australia wrap up Ashes series win as England's record chase falters
Video credit: TNT Sports
England may have fallen to defeat in the 2025/26 NRMA Insurance men's Ashes, but the series has still provided some incredible drama - with two more Tests to come.
There were superb centuries from some of cricket's biggest names, stunning wickets that changed the trajectory of the series, and those controversies that fans like to sink their teeth into.
Following Australia’s 82-run win in the third Test, which saw them retain the urn, the time now feels right to take a look back at the moments that spelt trouble for England during the decisive first three Tests.
That match at Lilac Hill
England’s trip Down Under got up and running when they beat England Lions by five wickets at Lilac Hill Park in Perth.
Brendon McCullum’s side may have come out on top in Perth, but the warm-up match came to define England’s struggles in Australia.
The conditions at the ground could not have been further away from the fast-paced surface and unpredictable bounce that England would encounter across the city at Perth's Optus Stadium.
England were widely criticised for their preparation for such a tough series against their greatest rivals.
To make matters worse, there were several tough moments once the action got underway, with the scorecard malfunctioning and Mark Wood suffering an injury.
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Pope hits classy century in Ashes warm-up match
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The dramatic Perth collapse
Despite their teething problems in the southern hemisphere, England had some impressive moments in a dramatic first Test in Perth.
They were actually ahead at the end of the first innings after limiting the hosts to 132 runs, following their own effort of 172.
However, the game turned on its head after a painful batting collapse in the second innings, that saw England go from 65-1 to 164 all out.
Travis Head twisted the knife when Australia returned to the crease, helping his side to an eight-wicket win with a sensational knock of 123 off 83 balls.
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Highlights: Head inspires Australia to first Test win on Day 2
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Dropped catches in Brisbane
England hoped to bounce back in the second Test in Brisbane, but they let the opportunity - and the ball - slip through their hands on the second day.
Ben Duckett missed two opportunities to get Alex Carey out, and Jamie Smith also had the chance to send Head back to the pavilion early in the first innings.
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Watch England's FIVE dropped catches on second day
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Joe Root and Brydon Carse also gave Australia’s batters another chance when they should have really been sent packing.
Australia were in no mood to let England off for their mistakes, and the hosts won by eight wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
The Snicko controversies
England’s mistakes were compounded by several controversial moments involving Snicko, officially known as the Real-Time Snickometer.
The first flashpoint occurred on day one of the third Test, when Alex Carey avoided a dismissal despite the sound of his bat not matching the pictures shown on the replay, resulting in the umpire rejecting England’s review.
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'Snicko needs to be sacked' - Starc fumes at technology as England survive review
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Things went from bad to worse on day two, when this time Australia’s players felt aggrieved after England retained their review following the umpire’s consultation with Snicko.
Jamie Smith was given not out when he was caught at slip by Usman Khawaja (actually the ball bounced first anyway) with TV umpire Chris Gaffaney ruling - after consulting Snicko - that the ball came off Smith’s helmet rather than glove. That meant England retained their review.
The moment of madness led to one of the quotes of the series from Mitchell Starc. "Snicko needs to be sacked," he was caught saying on the stump microphone.
"That's the worst technology there is. They made a mistake the other day, and they make another mistake today."
It was England’s turn to feel frustrated again when Smith was caught off a delivery from Pat Cummins.
The on-field match officials sent the decision to TV umpire Chris Gaffaney, but the sound spike and its accompanying match footage were out of sync again. Despite that, Smith had to walk.
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Finn: Why 'sub-standard' snicko 'failed England'
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Head at it again
Head’s century in the first Test was one of the defining memories of the series, and he was at it again in the third Test.
The brilliant Head produced a decisive 170 in the second innings, to the delight of the Adelaide crowd in his home state.
That knock helped Australia set England a mammoth task of chasing 435 to win. Despite a valiant effort, the tourists lost by 82 runs.
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Head passes 150 mark to leave England in huge trouble
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England's chaotic last stand
In stark contrast, England highlighted one of their biggest issues as they made their last stand during the second innings of the third Test.
With the impossible starting to look merely improbable at 177-3, Harry Brook went for a wild reverse sweep, missed the ball and saw the bails leap into the Adelaide air. By the end of day four, the tourists were 207-6.
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Big wicket for Lyon as Brook perishes on reverse-sweep attempt
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The hope dared to return on an overdue fifth day of an Ashes Test, when Jamie Smith got the visiting fans off their feet with four consecutive boundaries. However, he went for a fifth when it never looked on, and was made to pay, with the ball landing in the hands of Cummins.
Former Australia captain Justin Langer criticised the decision, saying it reflected the general lack of tactical nous that haunted England throughout the series.
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Smith gets overexcited, key wicket falls shortly after half-century
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"I'll tell you when I was nervous, when Jamie Smith hit those four consecutive boundaries. I thought, 'We all know the talent he’s got, we’ve seen it first-hand at London Spirit'," Langer said.
"But again, like England have done, you’ve got to have a hard edge, and they just haven’t had a hard edge. Four consecutive boundaries and then you play a shot like he did.
"If I were Jamie, I would have walked straight to my hotel because you’ve got to have a hard edge, and you only score runs in Test cricket if you have a hard edge.
"That Jamie Smith dismissal sums up a lot about how England have played this Test series."
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