AUS vs ENG 4th Ashes Test Live: Australia 132 all out; England need 175 runs to win MCG Test
THE TIMES OF INDIA | Dec 27, 2025, 12:29:25 IST
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AUS vs ENG 4th Ashes Test Live: Australia 132 all out; England need 175 runs to win MCG Test

Australia vs England 4th Ashes Test highlights: A fighting England won their first Test on Australian soil in 15 years Saturday, restoring their battered pride with a gutsy four-wicket victory to clinch a chaotic fourth Ashes clash that was all over inside two days.
The pumped-up tourists dismissed Australia for 132 soon after lunch in front of a bumper 92,045 crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, following the 20 wickets that tumbled on day one.

It left them chasing 175 to win, with Harry Brook (18) and Jamie Smith (three) seeing them home for the loss of six wickets to huge roars from their travelling "Barmy Army" of fans. Jacob Bethell contributed 40 and Zak Crawley 37.

England crashed in the first three Tests and came to Melbourne under enormous pressure amid questions about their limited preparations and allegations of excessive drinking during a mid-series beach break.

But they finally came good and will head to Sydney for the fifth and final Test brimming with confidence.

England had not won a Test in Australia since January 2011 at Sydney, losing 16 and drawing two since, and openers Crawley and Ben Duckett had a clear objective to snap the streak -- play ultra-aggressive "Bazball" style.

Duckett hit a boundary off Mitchell Starc in his first over while Crawley slammed Michael Neser for a six and a four in successive balls.

They brought up a whirlwind fifty opening partnership but next ball Duckett was bowled by a Starc yorker for 34.

Fast bowler Brydon Carse then strode to the middle as a surprise number three in place of Bethell.

But England's pinch-hitting experiment failed as Carse lasted only eight balls before skying Jhye Richardson to Cameron Green.

Crawley fell lbw to Scott Boland after a gritty knock and Bethell was caught by Usman Khawaja from the same bowler.

Richardson trapped Joe Root (15) lbw and Starc accounted for Ben Stokes (2), but by then only 10 runs were needed and Brook and Smith 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.
12:36 (IST) Dec 26

Quite a remarkable day of cricket. Boxing Day Test, a record sell-out crowd marked its presence. 94,000 plus people at the 'G', the highest turnout for any game at this venue, only to see 20 wickets tumble through the day. Batting-wise, 266 runs were scored in 76.1 overs. You know that feeling when you miss the live action and catch up later, only to realise you did not miss much at all. This was that kind of first day. It flew by like a highlight reel, with something or the other happening almost every few minutes.

12:33 (IST) Dec 26
Score after 1 over 4 - 0
Runs Scored: 0
000004
  • Scott Boland 4 (6)
  • Travis Head 0 (0)
Gus Atkinson1-0-4-0
4
Overs0.6
Score4 - 0

Gus Atkinson to Scott Boland, FOUR! Streaky, but the members of the Scott Boland fan club are absolutely loving it. Nice and full, at the stumps, Boland pushes at it and gets an outside edge that races all along the ground behind point. Two men give chase, but the ball wins the race. After a golden duck in the first innings, Boland is off the mark. That will be STUMPS on Day 1 with Australia holding a lead of 46 runs!

12:32 (IST) Dec 26
0
Overs0.5
Score0 - 0

Gus Atkinson to Scott Boland, Did that carry? The reaction from those in the slip cordon suggests so. On a good length, on off and middle. Boland looks to cover the line but the ball nips away a bit to catch the outside edge. The ball goes low to fifth slip, where Jacob Bethell dives low to his left and sticks out his left hand but fails to cling on.

12:32 (IST) Dec 26
0
Overs0.4
Score0 - 0

Gus Atkinson to Scott Boland, This is on a length, in and around the off stump, Boland defends it watchfully right under his eyes. Chants of 'Scotty, Scotty' go up in the crowd.

12:31 (IST) Dec 26
0
Overs0.3
Score0 - 0

Gus Atkinson to Scott Boland, Fuller and outside off, Scott Boland offers no shot.

12:31 (IST) Dec 26
0
Overs0.2
Score0 - 0

Gus Atkinson to Scott Boland, Rapped on the pads! Full and tailing back into the pads, Boland is beaten on the flick and wears it on the front pad. It appeared to be going down leg.

12:30 (IST) Dec 26
0
Overs0.1
Score0 - 0

Gus Atkinson to Scott Boland, Oh, that could have gone anywhere! A well-directed short ball, under the left armpit. Scott Boland goes deep in the crease and brings his bat high to fend it down. The ball gets big on him and it pops up off the blade. It lands safely in the vacant short square leg region, which brings about a huge cheer from the crowd.

Australia vs England 4th Ashes Test Live: A pumped-up England grabbed six wickets before lunch to stay in the hunt on another chaotic day at the fourth Ashes Test Saturday as a fragile Australia built a 140-run lead.

At the break on day two in front of another bumper crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the hosts were 98-6 with Steve Smith not out 16 and Cameron Green on six.

They lost nightwatchman Scott Boland (6), Jake Weatherald (5), Marnus Labuschagne (8), and Travis Head (46), Usman Khawaja (0) and Alex Carey (4) in the session with England down a bowler after pace spearhead Gus Atkinson hobbled off.

Australia resumed on 4-0 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 series of former greats criticised the pitch for "doing too much" and being "unfair for the batters".

Boland began on four with Head yet to score after they negotiated a single over before stumps on Friday.

Head got going with a boundary off Atkinson and Boland added two, but his time was always going to be limited and he edged Atkinson to wicketkeeper Jamie 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 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 Ben Stokes for five leaving a delivery that nipped back.

Head, who was dropped on 26 by Will Jacks, was joined by Labuschagne but he only made eight, caught by Joe Root in the slips off Tongue.

Despite living dangerously, Head was in good touch before being bowled by a peach of a delivery from Carse that beat the outside edge.

And when Khawaja and Carey were removed by Tongue and Carse respectively in the space of nine balls, the momentum was back with England.

Australia have already retained the Ashes after crushing eight-wicket victories in Perth and Brisbane and an 82-run win in Adelaide.