England finally won a Test in Australia again, and of all the ways it could happen, it happened in Melbourne in a match so chaotic the sport almost looked embarrassed by it.

Australia have retained the Ashes in Adelaide, and England can file this one under “the brave loss that still counts as a loss”.

Australia arrive in Adelaide 2–0 up in the Ashes and, for the first time in the series, England are heading somewhere that removes all excuses.

Australia have won the second Ashes Test in Brisbane by eight wickets and the scoreline almost flatters England.

England were two overs into the second Test and already looking for the fire exit. Mitchell Starc took two wickets in his first five balls, both openers gone for nothing, and the Gabba settled in for another long weekend of English pain. Then Joe Root walked out.

The Ashes moves to Brisbane on Thursday for a pink ball Test, and somehow the entire narrative has centred on a man swinging a golf club. Usman Khawaja hit one gentle warm up shot, grabbed at his back, and suddenly half the country had him booked in for emergency spinal reconstruction.

There are innings that win matches, innings that shift series, and then there are innings that change how a player is remembered forever. Travis Head just delivered the third kind.