England were bundled out for 110 inside 30 overs after Josh Tongue’s five-for had rolled Australia for 152 on a breathless, 20-wicket opening day of the Boxing Day Ashes Test in Melbourne.England have faced accusations of a drinking culture and seen the futures of coach Brendon McCullum, captain Ben Stokes and MD Rob Key called into question after last week’s defeat in the third Test at Adelaide ensured the Ashes series was lost in 11 days.
Stokes’ side, whose aim now is to avoid a 5-0 sweep and win a first Test in Australia since 2010-11, rallied initially on a manic Friday in front of a record cricket crowd at the MCG of 94,199, skittling their hosts in 45.2 overs as Tongue (5-45) removed Steve Smith (6) and Marnus Labuschagne (9) with gems en route to a third Test five-for.
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Josh Tongue now has three five-wicket hauls in Tests after his superb display in Melbourne
However, the tourists then toiled on a bowler-friendly pitch against a high-quality attack, slipping to 16-4 and then scraping past 100 either side of a counter-attacking 41 off 34 balls from Harry Brook, who decided a ‘get runs before a delivery gets me’ approach was needed with the Kookaburra ball darting everywhere on a green deck.Gus Atkinson’s 28 off 35 balls took England into three figures before he was bowled by Cameron Green – that dismissal meaning 20 wickets fell on a single day of an Ashes Test for the first time since 1950 at The Gabba.
Australia saw out one over from Atkinson before stumps to end a quite remarkable day on 4-0 and 46 runs to the good, with nightwatchman Scott Boland fencing just over short leg and being dropped by Jacob Bethell at slip before slicing the final ball of the evening behind point for four as he opened with Travis Head (0no)
Score summary – Australia vs England, fourth Ashes Test
Australia 152 all out in 45.2 overs in first innings (put in to bat): Josh Tongue (5-45), Gus Atkinson (2-28), Ben Stokes (1-25), Brydon Carse (1-42).; Michael Neser (35), Usman Khawaja (29), Alex Carey (20), Cameron Green (17)
England 110 all out in 29.5 overs in first innings: Harry Brook (41 off 34 balls), Gus Atkinson (28 off 35); Michael Neser (4-45), Scott Boland (3-30), Mitchell Starc (2-23), Cameron Green (0-1)
Australia 4-0 after one over in second innings (put in to bat): Scott Boland (4no), Travis Head…
2025-12-26 07:00:00
