Ashes: 15-year wait over! England beat Australia in chaotic fourth Test at MCG

NEW DELHI: Staring at a clean sweep, England finally found a way to fight back, winning their first Test on Australian soil in 15 years with a gutsy four-wicket victory in a chaotic fourth Ashes clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday. The contest was wrapped up inside two days, restoring some pride for the beleaguered tourists.


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After 20 wickets fell on the opening day, England bowled Australia out for 132 shortly after lunch in front of a bumper crowd of 92,045, leaving themselves a target of 175 for victory. Harry Brook (18*) and Jamie Smith (3*) guided England home amid deafening roars from the travelling “Barmy Army”, with the visitors finishing the chase after losing six wickets. Jacob Bethell made a vital 40, while Zak Crawley chipped in with 37.



England arrived in Melbourne under immense pressure after crashing in the first three Tests, amid questions over their preparation and criticism surrounding a mid-series beach break. But the visitors finally delivered when it mattered and will head to Sydney for the fifth and final Test with renewed confidence.

The win was England’s first Test success in Australia since January 2011, ending a run of 16 losses and two draws. Openers Crawley and Ben Duckett set the tone with an ultra-aggressive “Bazball” approach. Duckett struck a boundary off Mitchell Starc in his first over, while Crawley followed up by smashing Michael Neser for a six and a four in successive deliveries.

The pair raced to a brisk 50-run opening stand before Duckett was bowled by a searing Starc yorker for 34. England then rolled the dice by sending fast bowler Brydon Carse in at No. 3, but the experiment backfired as he lasted just eight balls before lofting Jhye Richardson to Cameron Green.

Crawley was trapped lbw by Scott Boland after a gritty innings, and Bethell was caught by Usman Khawaja off the same bowler. Richardson dismissed Joe Root (15) lbw and Starc removed Ben Stokes (2), but with only 10 runs required, Brook and Smith calmly completed the job.

- Atkinson injury -
Australia resumed on 4-0 in their second innings after an explosive opening day of searing pace saw 20 wickets fall with the hosts dismissed for 152 and England just 110.

It was the most wickets to tumble on the first day of an Ashes Test since 1909, and eclipsed the 19 on day one of the series opener in Perth.

With 10 millimetres of grass on the track it was a bowler's dream, but a host of former greats criticised the pitch for "doing too much" and being "unfair for the batters".

Nightwatchman Boland added two to his overnight four, but his time was always going to be limited and he edged Gus Atkinson to wicketkeeper Smith.

Atkinson left the field soon after clutching what appeared to be his left hamstring.

Josh Tongue came into the attack on a hat-trick after bagging the last two Australia wickets on day one, but Jake Weatherald whipped his full ball for three.

Weatherald needed a decent knock to cement his spot at the top of the order, but he failed again, bowled by Stokes for five leaving a delivery that nipped back.

Travis Head was joined by Marnus Labuschagne but he only made eight, caught by Root in the slips off Tongue.

Head was in good touch before being bowled on 46 by a peach of a delivery from Carse that beat the outside edge, and when Khawaja (0) and Alex Carey (4) departed in the space of nine balls the momentum was back with England.

After reaching lunch at 98-6, Green (19) became the seventh wicket to fall with the score on 119, edging a rising Stokes ball to Harry Brook at slip.

Carse bagged Neser and Starc without scoring and Richardson fell to Stokes with the last four wickets tumbling for 13 runs, leaving Steve Smith unbeaten on 24.

(With inputs from AFP)



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