England finally broke their barren spell on Australian soil, securing a thrilling four-wicket victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to claim their first Test win in Australia since January 2011.
The tourists dismissed Australia for just 132 after lunch on day two, leaving themselves a modest chase of 175 runs in front of a packed Boxing Day crowd of 92,045. Despite losing six wickets in pursuit, England reached their target through determined knocks from Jacob Bethell (40), Zak Crawley (37), Harry Brook (18), and Jamie Smith (3).
The remarkable contest concluded within two days following an extraordinary opening day that witnessed 20 wickets tumble—the most on day one of an Ashes Test since 1909. Australia managed only 152 in their first innings, whilst England replied with 110.
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Captain Ben Stokes hailed his team’s “courage and bravery” after enduring intense scrutiny throughout the tour. England arrived in Melbourne under enormous pressure following three consecutive defeats and criticism regarding their preparation and conduct during a mid-series break.
“There was a fair bit going on in the build-up to this match, a lot being thrown our way,” Stokes reflected. “For the lads to come out, stay focused, and perform the way they did says a lot about the character in this team.”
The Melbourne pitch, featuring 10 millimetres of grass, proved treacherous for batsmen throughout, with several former cricketers criticising the surface as “unfair for the batters.”
Josh Tongue emerged as the hero, claiming man-of-the-match honours with figures of 5-45 in Australia’s first innings and 2-44 in their second. The fast bowler described playing at the MCG as “what dreams are made of.”
England’s chase began aggressively with Crawley and Ben Duckett adopting their characteristic “Bazball” approach. Though wickets fell regularly, the tourists maintained composure to secure a morale-boosting victory ahead of the fifth Test in Sydney.
Despite the triumph, England have already conceded the Ashes series, making this victory more about pride and momentum. Former captain Joe Root acknowledged the disappointment of losing the series but praised the team’s resilience in responding to adversity.
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