Justin Langer hits out at England bowling, laughs off suggestions Australia could declare in third Test of NRMA Insurance men’s Ashes
Published 19/12/2025 at 23:31 GMT
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Australia are heading for an almost inevitable victory in the Ashes series. Already 2-0 up, the hosts ended day three of the Adelaide Test on 271-4, ahead by 356. Former Australia coach Justin Langer has strongly criticised England's bowling, as Travis Head made an unbeaten century. Live coverage of the Ashes series continues on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Langer: 'England couldn’t execute the plan or the plans were poor'
Video credit: TNT Sports
Former Australia coach Justin Langer says England "couldn't execute the plan or the plans were poor" as the hosts close in on victory in the Adelaide Test and the NRMA Insurance men’s Ashes.
Travis Head made an unbeaten century as Australia closed day three of the third Test on 271-4, 356 runs ahead of England.
Australia are already 2-0 up in the series, and England's hopes of winning back the Ashes are all but over.
Live coverage of the Adelaide Test is on TNT Sports and discovery+, with matches in Melbourne and Sydney still to come.
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Speaking to TNT Sports, Langer said: "After England batted so well this morning, there was a glimmer of hope. You can feel the Barmy Army were lifting.
"[Brydon] Carse's first over was excellent and then it just sort of went nowhere.
"You look at Travis Head's wagon wheel and if I'm the opposition coach - and I used to coach against Travis Head for Western Australia against South Australia - you do not bowl to his cut shots. And his wagon wheel is completely behind point or behind square leg.
"It was either [they] couldn't execute the plan or the plans were poor. Either way he's got another hundred and Australia are on top.
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Langer: Why would Australia declare - 'They're not good blokes'
Video credit: TNT Sports
"He's been man of the match here in the last four Test matches, Travis Head. What's interesting, unlike a lot of modern day players now, he was batting outside leg stump.
"He's almost saying 'right oh, he's that confident at the moment, he's exposing his stumps, you want to come at my stumps, I'm going to keep hitting through the offside'.
"Most batters these days bat on the other side and hit to the leg side. Again it didn't make any sense that there was no coverage there, when he's saying, I'm going to hit through the offside."
Langer: Why would Australia declare?
With two days of the Test still to play in Adelaide, there have been some suggestions that Australia would declare soon.
But Langer has scoffed at that idea, insisting it's up to England to try and bowl the hosts out on Saturday.
"Why would they declare?" Langer asked. "They're 2-0 up in the Ashes. This is called the Ashes, it's about winning the Ashes.
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Highlights: Archer excels with the bat before more Head magic puts Australia in control
Video credit: TNT Sports
"Why would Australia declare? To be good blokes? No chance, they're not good blokes.
"England have to come out and they've got to take six wickets. How they're going to do it, I don't know. I don't really care."
Ben Stokes made 83 and Jofra Archer 51 in a ninth-wicket stand of 106, taking England to 286 and giving them outside hope.
But that was soon taken away by Australia, and home celebrations surely aren't far away now.
Watch every ball of the 2025/26 Ashes series on TNT Sports and discovery+
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