The 2025-26 Ashes between Australia and England witnessed yet another two-day finish as, after the first Test in Perth where Australia beat England, the visitors flipped the switch in Melbourne’s iconic Boxing Day Test, chasing down the 175-run target set by the hosts in the second innings on the second day with 4 wickets to spare to finally secure their first win of the series and also snap their 18-match losing streak in Tests in Australia.
The two-day finish of the Melbourne Test on Saturday also makes the match officially the shortest-ever Boxing Day Test match in history. However, despite the loss, Australia still have the series won as they lead 3-1 going into the fifth and final Test in Sydney starting January 4.
Australia vs England 4th Test: Match report
Tongue’s milestone spell put England ahead
Australia opted for caution at the start, with Travis Head and Jake Weatherald showing respect to England’s new-ball trio. A rare spark came in the sixth over when the openers milked Brydon Carse for 15 runs, peppering the cover region with three crisp drives. But the optimism evaporated quickly. Gus Atkinson drew first blood, forcing Head into an ugly inside-edge that cannoned onto the stumps for 12. Josh Tongue, returning to Test cricket at the MCG, struck in his first over—Weatherald flicking loosely for 10, caught at deep square by Jamie Smith.
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Australia were soon gasping at 51/4 inside 20 overs, with Labuschagne (6) and Smith (5) both suffocated by nagging seam lines. Usman Khawaja and Alex Carey tried to steady the ship, taking the score to 72/4 at drinks, but Khawaja’s 29 ended via a successful England review. Carey’s gritty 20 was snared at leg slip by Zak Crawley off a sharp Stokes angle. A 52-run recovery from Cameron Green and Michael Neser brought brief hope, but Green’s 17 ended in a run-out. Neser fought his way to 35 before Tongue rattled his middle stump, completing a standout 5/45 as Australia folded for 152.
Australia shellshock English batting again
Resuming 72 behind, England sensed a platform but stumbled into a trap set by Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland. Ben Duckett (2) mistimed a flick, caught at mid-on by Neser. Debutant Jacob Bethell, promoted to No. 3, managed just 1 before nicking behind. Crawley (5) and Joe Root (0) followed in a blur, Australia’s seamers hitting lengths with festive ferocity.
Harry Brook tried to flip the narrative, hammering two towering sixes and sharing a 50-run stand with Stokes—England’s best passage of the innings. But Boland, riding the surface and the home roar, broke the partnership at 102/5, Brook falling for 41. England lost their way from there. Stokes battled his way to 13 before edging to slip off Neser. Atkinson’s spirited 28 (35) lent late resistance, but the visitors were bowled out for 110. Neser finished with 4/45 and Boland 3/30, keeping Australia in the driver’s seat.
Carse led England’s fightback
Armed with a 42-run first-innings edge, Australia aimed to pad the cushion in the final session. But England’s seamers flipped the script. Head found rhythm early, top-scoring with 46 (67) and cracking four boundaries before Carse trapped him at 71/2. That wicket opened the floodgates. Carse (4/34) produced a spell of unshakable discipline, shattering the middle order, including the key scalp of Boland for 6.
Tongue chipped in with 2/44, removing Labuschagne and Green, while Stokes (3/24) cleaned up the tail with metronomic accuracy and late shape. Captain Steven Smith tried to glue the innings together, grinding his way to an unbeaten 24 (39), but the procession around him never stopped. Extras (13) inflated the total slightly, but Australia were dismissed for 132 in 34.3 overs. Their 42-run head start ultimately stretched England’s target to 175—a total just big enough to tease, but small enough to chase.
Brilliant Bethell helps England secure the win
Coming out to chase the 175-run target, England got off to a great start, adding 51 runs for the first wicket before Mitchell Starc removed Ben Duckett (34). Brydon Carse’s promotion in the batting did not go as planned, and he lost his wicket to Jhye Richardson. Zak Crawley (37) then added another 47-run stand for the third wicket with Bethell before getting trapped in front of the wicket by Scott Boland, who then also removed Bethell (40) to keep the match going.
Joe Root (15) took the visitors close to the target but fell to Jhye Richardson just 17 short. Seven more were added to the total when Starc got Ben Stokes (2) caught in the slips as England lost their sixth wicket. Finally, Harry Brook (22 not out), along with Jamie Smith (3 not out), took England past the required 175 as England finally won their first game of the series.
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