The Ashes: Jos Buttler's battling knock cannot save England as Australia take 2-0 series lead
os Buttler's dogged resistance ended in bizarre fashion as England slid to a 275-run defeat to Australia on the final day in Adelaide to leave them 2-0 down in The Ashes and the home side on the cusp of keeping the urn.
Buttler (26 off 207 balls) was ninth out, treading on his stumps while facing Jhye Richardson (5-42), as his longest Ashes innings, and second-longest of his Test career, came to an agonising halt early in the final session.
The England batter - who had flashed an edge between slip fielder David Warner and wicketkeeper Alex Carey while still on nought as the Australia duo left the catch for each other - revived his side's flickering chances of a draw after they had been reduced to 105-6 an hour into the day following the exits of Ollie Pope (4) and Ben Stokes (12 off 77).
Buttler rallied from his first-innings duck and a trio of dropped catches while keeping wicket as he added 61 from 190 balls with the more free-flowing Chris Woakes (44 off 97) for the seventh wicket to keep England dreaming of a great escape.
But those hopes faded once Woakes was bowled by Richardson midway through the second session, dipped further when Ollie Robinson (8 off 39) fell to Nathan Lyon (2-55) shortly before tea and were all-but eliminated when Buttler knocked off his bails while deep in his crease.
