England avoided any danger of an Ashes whitewash after ending an 18-Test and 15-year winless streak in Australia with a two-day victory in a remarkable match at Melbourne to cut their hosts’ lead to 3-1 with one game to go.
The wicket-fest on a spicy MCG pitch led to just the third two-day Ashes Test in 104 years – but the second in this series after Australia’s rapid eight-wicket win in the opening fixture at Perth.
England reached a target of 175 in 32.2 overs to win by four wickets with bizarre scenes including Brydon Carse (6 off 8) promoted to No 3 – and charging down the pitch to the first ball he faced – after a swift opening stand of 51 from 42 balls between Zak Crawley (37 off 48) and Ben Duckett (34 off 26) in which Duckett was dropped by Mitchell Starc on eight.
Ben Duckett scored a breezy 34 from 26 balls at the start of England’s second innings
The approach on a bowler-friendly batting strip was clear, with Duckett ramping a six, Crawley driving a maximum down the ground and Jacob Bethell (40 off 46) playing a reverse scoop and some crisp drives as the tourists secured a first win on Australian soil since the Sydney Test in January 2011, following 16 defeats and two draws in between.
There were late jitters once Bethell was caught at cover, Joe Root was pinned lbw for 17 and captain Ben Stokes slashed behind for two, but Harry Brook (18no) and Jamie Smith (3no) steered England to victory at the end of an astonishingly fast contest, with Root and Stokes subsequently tasting a maiden success Down Under after 12 years of trying.
The tourists had earlier skittled Australia for 132 in their second innings, a knock in which the hosts lost 3-6 from 81-3 and then 3-2 from 119-6 on another Ashes day played at breakneck speed.
That followed a 20-wicket opening day that saw Australia rolled for 152 and England torpedoed for 110 on a surface that has been heavily criticised and may yet face sanctions from the ICC, but made for some riotous entertainment.
England win at last as bowlers set up manageable fourth-innings chase
The Ashes concludes with the fifth Test in Sydney from Sunday January 4, a game England quick Gus Atkinson looks unlikely to be fit for having suffered a hamstring injury in Melbourne.
Atkinson left the field on Saturday morning shortly after nicking off night watchman Scott Boland (6) and was not seen again but England’s attack coped without him, as Stokes (3-24) clattered Jake Weatherald’s (5) off stump and Josh Tongue (2-44) had Marnus Labuschagne (8) caught low by Root at slip.
Travis Head (46) was bowled by a Carse (4-34) beauty to trigger that aforementioned collapse of 3-6, with Usman Khawaja (0) then hooking Tongue to sub fielder Ollie Pope and Alex Carey (4) snicking Carse behind.
England captain Ben Stokes took three second-innings wickets in a breathless MCG Test
The innings concluded in a hurry after lunch once Stokes forced Cameron Green (19) to steer to slip to end a 31-run partnership with stand-in Australia captain Steve Smith (24no).
Carse inflicted ducks on Michael Neser and Starc, catching Neser excellently off his own bowling, while Jhye Richardson (7) holed out off Stokes having added 11 with Smith for the final wicket.
Hours later, Richardson conceded the leg byes while bowling to Brook that ended the game, sparking wild celebrations among the England fans who had to endure the thrashings in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.
The win was testament to England’s fight after slipping 3-0 down in the series was followed by allegations of a drinking culture. Another triumph in Sydney would add an air of respectability to what has been a chastening tour.
Ashes series in Australia 2025-26
Australia lead five-match series 3-1
