England Break Drought with 4-Wicket Thriller Over Australia in Chaotic Two-Day Boxing Day Test

England finally ended their 18-match, 14-year wait for a Test victory in Australia, chasing down 175 to beat the hosts by four wickets in a dramatic, two-day Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Josh Tongue’s 7 wickets across both innings dismantled Australia, while Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and debutant Jacob Bethell’s aggressive knocks steered the tourists home despite early wobbles. This win prevented an Ashes whitewash after Australia retained the urn in Adelaide, providing a morale-boosting moment in a series dominated by the hosts. A record 186,000+ fans packed the MCG over two frenetic days under sunny skies, witnessing 20 wickets on day one and a pitch controversy that sparked debate on preparation and fairness. The absurdly quick finish—second two-day Ashes Test in the series—delivered theatre but left questions about the surface.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground, bathed in bright summer sunshine with no dew but a lush, grassy pitch offering excessive seam and bounce, produced a chaotic low-scorer with under 600 runs total and 40 wickets falling in fewer than 200 overs. The pitch — green, lively, and doing too much for batters — favored bowling overwhelmingly, making survival tough and aggressive chases risky. England captain Ben Stokes’ decision to bat first after winning the toss was costly, as the surface punished top-order recklessness. For Stokes, the victory was sweet relief after series struggles, crediting grit and bowling; for Australia skipper Pat Cummins, the defeat was frustrating in a dead rubber, blaming batting lapses on a bowler-friendly track. As Harry Brook guided the winning runs amid raucous cheers from traveling fans, the series narrative offered England a sliver of pride to carry into Sydney.

Australia XI Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood, Jhye Richardson

England XI Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer

Australia – 152 (45.2 overs) & 132 (34.3 overs) Australia’s first innings faltered on the seamer’s paradise, slumping to 152 despite some resistance. Head top-scored with a brisk 41, but Tongue (5/45) ripped through with swing and bounce, claiming five in a devastating spell that triggered collapses. Starc and Richardson added late cameos, but extras (15) couldn’t mask poor shot selection against moving ball. In the follow-on, the story worsened: Tongue added 2/44 as Australia crumbled to 132, with Smith (24) offering brief defiance before the tail folded quickly. Boland and Richardson resisted momentarily, but Atkinson’s pace and Tongue’s accuracy sealed it. No major stands held; momentum shifted decisively to England as 20 wickets tumbled on day one, the most in an Ashes opener since 1909.

England – 110 (28.4 overs) & 178/6 (32.2 overs) England’s first dig mirrored Australia’s woes, bowled out for 110 as Starc and Boland exploited the green top. Brook’s aggressive 41 kept them afloat briefly, but Tongue’s counterpart spells from Cummins and Hazlewood triggered a slide from 60/2 to all out. In the chase of 175—the match’s highest total—Crawley (36) and Duckett set a platform with 47 for the third wicket, reverse-sweeping and driving boldly. Bethell, on Ashes debut, added a composed 40 before nicking Boland, while Root contributed before falling. Brook (unbeaten cameo) and Smith steadied late, navigating pressure with smart singles against a deep field. Extras 10, key stands included Duckett-Bethell and late resilience; no collapse occurred as aggression paid off on a deteriorating but still bowler-friendly track.

Key Moments

• Josh Tongue’s 7 wickets (5/45 & 2/44), dismantling Australia twice and earning Player of the Match honors.
• 20 wickets falling on day one at the MCG, equaling the Ashes record from Perth and sparking pitch debates.
• Jacob Bethell’s debut 40 in the chase, steadying England amid pressure and helping break the drought.
• Harry Brook’s first-innings 41 and finishing unbeaten, embodying Bazball resilience in the victory.
• England’s successful chase of 175—the highest innings total of the match—preventing a whitewash in a two-day thriller.

Player of the Match: Josh Tongue (7/89 total: 5/45 & 2/44) Winning Captain (Ben Stokes): “Finally we’ve won one—it’s massive to break that streak in Australia. The pitch was not ideal, did too much, but our bowlers were brilliant and the batters showed belief in the chase. Credit to the boys for fighting; this gives us something to build on for Sydney.” Losing Captain (Pat Cummins): “Disappointing to lose, especially after retaining the Ashes. The surface was tough for batting, but we didn’t adapt well enough. England deserved it today—they bowled superbly and chased with intent. On to the final Test.”

Series: Australia lead 3–1 Next → Australia vs England, 5th Ashes Test: Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney — January 4–8, 2026 (10:00 AM local)

England’s gritty triumph provided a rare highlight in a lopsided series, snapping a long drought and injecting hope despite the urn already retained by Australia. With the MCG pitch under scrutiny and Bazball delivering under pressure, the tourists head to Sydney seeking another upset, while the hosts aim to finish strongly in front of home crowds.