MELBOURNE – After weeks of heartbreak and a surrendered Ashes urn, England finally found their fight at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), defeating Australia by four wickets in a frenetic, two-day shootout to secure their first Test win on Australian soil in nearly 15 years.
Trailing 3-0 in the series and facing the prospect of another humiliating whitewash, Ben Stokes’ men produced a stunning turnaround in the 4th Test. In a match that moved at breakneck speed—featuring a record-breaking 20 wickets on Day 1—England chased down a tricky target of 175 on Day 2 to make the series scoreline 3-1.
The Two-Day Whirlwind
The match will be remembered for the sheer chaos of the opening day. After winning the toss and electing to bowl on a green-tinged MCG pitch, England’s bowlers, led by a career-best performance from Josh Tongue (5-45), routed the hosts for just 152.
However, the joy was short-lived as England’s batting lineup crumbled in reply, collapsing to 110 all out in the face of relentless bowling from Michael Neser and Mitchell Starc. By stumps on Day 1, the game had advanced at a dizzying pace, with Australia holding a slender lead.
The Chase for Redemption
Day 2 proved just as dramatic. England’s bowlers came out firing again, with Brydon Carse and Ben Stokes tearing through the Australian batting order, dismissing them for just 132 in their second innings. This left England with a target of 175—a modest total on paper, but a mountain to climb on a pitch that was offering extravagant movement.
Nerves were frayed as England’s top order wobbled early in the chase. Memories of the collapses in Brisbane and Adelaide loomed large when they lost early wickets, but a composed and aggressive counter-attack settled the dressing room.
Harry Brook and Ben Stokes combined to steady the ship, blending caution with “Bazball” aggression to chip away at the total. Despite a late flurry of wickets that gave Australia a glimmer of hope, England held their nerve. The winning runs were hit late on the second day, sealing a famous 4-wicket victory.
Ending the Drought
The victory is significant for England, marking their first Test win in Australia since the 2010/11 series, breaking a drought that had lasted over 5,000 days.
“We came here to win the Ashes, and while that’s gone, we owed it to ourselves and the fans to show what we are about,” said captain Ben Stokes at the post-match presentation. “To win at the MCG, in front of this crowd, after the week we’ve had—it shows the character in this dressing room.”
While the urn remains with Australia, England heads to the final Test in Sydney with restored confidence, looking to end the tour on a high and narrow the series margin to 3-2.
Match Summary:
- Australia: 152 & 132
- England: 110 & 178/6
- Result: England won by 4 wickets
- Player of the Match: Josh Tongue (England)
