Melbourne, 27 December (H.S.): England ended nearly 15 years of frustration and an 18-match winless streak on Australian soil by scripting a historic victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The visitors defeated Australia by four wickets in the Boxing Day Test, marking a significant moment in the Ashes series. Chasing a modest target of 175 on a challenging pitch, England’s batters kept their composure and sealed the win with an aggressive yet calculated approach.
The Test also entered the record books as only the fifth instance in cricket history where more than one match in a series concluded within two days. In Australia, this rare occurrence had previously happened just twice. Despite over 186,000 spectators attending the two-day contest, Cricket Australia reportedly faced financial losses due to the shortened duration.
For England, however, the match held far greater emotional value, as it helped them avoid another whitewash and restored much-needed pride.Jacob Bethell, who returned to the side specifically for this Test, played a crucial role. His composed 40-run innings proved instrumental in steering England through early pressures.
Although the team briefly wobbled after his dismissal — with Joe Root falling leg-before and captain Ben Stokes edging Mitchell Starc — four leg-byes eventually carried England over the finish line. Remarkably, this was the first Test in Australia since 1932 in which no batsman from either side managed to reach a half-century.
Earlier in the match, Australia were bowled out for just 132 in their second innings. England’s skipper Ben Stokes led from the front, sharing seven wickets with Brydon Carse, while Josh Tongue claimed two. Despite losing fast bowler Gus Atkinson to a hamstring injury during play, England’s attack held firm and delivered a disciplined bowling performance.
In pursuit of 175, England made a brisk start. Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett countered the new ball with attacking intent, racing to 51 within seven overs. Duckett cracked Mitchell Starc’s very first delivery to the boundary, setting the tone, while Crawley’s towering drive in Michael Neser’s over shifted momentum decisively towards England.
Australia, meanwhile, failed to mount a comeback. Their batting lineup — including Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, and Usman Khawaja — faltered under pressure, unable to post a defendable score on a deteriorating surface.In the end, England reached 178 for six to clinch victory by four wickets, ending their long drought of Test wins in Australia.
The triumph not only halted years of painful near misses but also revived their hopes in the ongoing Ashes series.
Match Summary:
Australia: 152 & 132
England: 110 & 178/6
Result: England won by 4 wickets.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
