Pat Cummins skittled England’s top order and Nathan Lyon spun out their soft underbelly to all but seal another Ashes series victory for Australia on day four of the third Test at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

Chasing a world record 435 runs to win, England were reduced to 207 for six at stumps, still 228 runs short of victory and having played no small part in their predicament through batting misadventure.

Jamie Smith, on two, and Will Jacks, on 11, were left to try to salvage something from the wreckage of another demolition day for the tourists.

With holders Australia 2-0 up in the five-test series after eight-wicket wins in Perth and Brisbane, they need only draw the match to retain the urn.

But there is little prospect of a rousing comeback win from an England squad that have failed to live up to expectations.

“Obviously very disappointing. Uphill battle from here,” England opener Zak Crawley told reporters.

“We came here to win the Ashes and we’re staring down the barrel now …. It’s been tough, they’re a very, very good side…. Obviously we’ve been slightly short of our best but credit to them.”

Questions have been asked of England’s preparations, selections and batting approach, and there were plenty more teachable moments from Saturday’s play at Adelaide Oval.

Their batters seemed determined to squander the rare periods when they could reasonably be judged to be on top of the Australian attack.

They needed at least one, and preferably two, to stand up like Travis Head who put on 170, nearly half Australia’s second-innings total of 349, to effectively bat England out of the game.

Instead, they were prey for Australia skipper Cummins, who took three top-order wickets andextracted gold from a still-firm pitch that proved unyielding, initially, for others.

In his first test since July, coming off a back injury, Cummins became the second test captain to take 150 wickets, joining Pakistan’s Imran Khan (187).

Keeping the champagne on ice

England’s Ben Duckett was first to go, taking a half-hearted push at a nagging ball and sending an edge flying chest-high to Marnus Labuschagne in the slips.

The shot was neither Bazball aggression nor stout defence, something meekly in between.

Number three Ollie Pope fell for 17 in a similar vein, nicking off to the slips with a more hard-handed prod and watching in disbelief as Labuschagne dived forward to take a one-hander just above the grass.

Labuschagne raced around the wicket in open-mouthed celebration, and England were 31 for two.

Another collapse beckoned but Crawley (85) and Joe Root (39) dug in until just after tea.

Root was lucky not to be dismissed lbw when he failed to play a shot at the part-time spin of Head, only to be caught-behind off Cummins moments later, playing at a ball he should have left.

It was Cummins’ 13th dismissal of England’s master batter, the most by any bowler.

Root slapped his bat in frustration but his was a misdemeanour compared to the batting crime committed by Harry Brook, who was bowled for 30 by Nathan Lyon with a botched reverse sweep.

Lyon followed up by bowling captain Ben Stokes for five with a ball that pitched, straightened and crashed into middle and off-stump.

The collapse gathered pace as Crawley lumbered forward at Lyon, misjudged the flight and was gleefully stumped by the clinical Alex Carey.

He had batted well for his 85 to that point but his wicket came as the pressure rose, leaving England needing a miracle from Jacks and Smith. Each has struggled for runs when their team has been crying out for them.

Australia will keep the champagne on ice until victory is complete.

“We want to keep working hard and probably not look too far ahead,” said Carey, who singled out Lyon for praise.

“I just thought Nathan was bowling really well and kept putting lots of energy on the ball. He toiled away all day and finally got some reward.”