England's Bowling Dominance Shines in Boxing Day Test Against Australia

In a thrilling start to the Boxing Day Test, England's Josh Tongue delivered a stunning five-wicket haul, dismantling Australia's batting lineup for just 152 runs. Despite having lost the Ashes series, England's relentless pace attack showcased their determination to end an 18-match winless streak in Australia. The match saw Australia struggle significantly, with key players falling early, leaving them in a precarious position. As the game unfolds, can England capitalize on this momentum? Read on for a detailed breakdown of the match's key moments and performances.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 26, 2025, 10:33 IST

England's Impressive Bowling Performance

In a remarkable display of pace bowling, Josh Tongue's five-wicket haul helped England restrict Australia to a mere 152 runs in their first innings during the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday. This match, part of the traditional Boxing Day festivities, saw a determined England side looking to break their 18-match winless streak in Australia, a record that dates back to their last series victory in the 2010/11 season.

Replacing the injured Jofra Archer, Tongue showcased exceptional accuracy and aggression, traits that had been sporadic throughout the series, much to the delight of England's loyal fans.

Australia's Struggles Post-Lunch

Entering the first session, Australia found themselves at 72/4, with Usman Khawaja (21*) and Alex Carey (9*) at the crease. Khawaja began the session with a stylish drive off Gus Atkinson but soon fell victim to a successful review, edging the ball to Jamie Smith for a 29 off 52 balls. This left Australia reeling at 89 runs for five wickets in 28.5 overs.

In a showdown between England's captain Ben Stokes and Australia's Carey, it was Stokes who emerged victorious, with Zak Crawley assisting in dismissing Carey for 20 runs off 35 balls, pushing Australia to 91/6 in 31.2 overs.

Brief Resistance from Green and Neser

Cameron Green and Michael Neser provided a brief counterattack, guiding Australia past the 100-run mark in 35.5 overs. Green displayed his prowess with two consecutive boundaries against Tongue, while Neser also contributed with a couple of fours.

However, a swift run-out by Brydon Carse ended their partnership, dismissing Green for 17 runs off 34 balls, leaving Australia at 143 with seven wickets down.

Stokes took a challenging catch to dismiss Mitchell Starc for just one run, while Tongue claimed his fourth wicket by bowling out Neser for 35 runs off 49 balls, as Australia crumbled to 152/9 in 45.1 overs.

Tongue's Five-Wicket Haul

Tongue completed his five-wicket haul by catching Scott Boland off Harry Brook's bowling, concluding with impressive figures of 5/45 in 11.2 overs. Australia was all out for 152 runs, with Atkinson contributing 2/28 in 14 overs, while Stokes and Carse each took one wicket.

First Session Summary

At the end of the first session, Australia stood at 72/4, with Khawaja (21*) and Carey (9*) still at the crease. England won the toss and opted to bowl first, with Australian openers Travis Head and Jake Weatherald starting cautiously against Atkinson and Carse.

Head managed to relieve some pressure with two boundaries, but Atkinson soon struck, dismissing him for 12 runs off 22 balls, leaving Australia at 27/1 in 5.1 overs.

Josh Tongue then wreaked havoc, dismissing Weatherald for 10 runs and quickly following up with the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne (6) and Steve Smith (5), leaving Australia in disarray at 51/4 in just 19.2 overs.

The left-handed duo of Carey and Khawaja managed to stabilize the innings for the remainder of the session.

Match Summary

Brief Scores: Australia: 152 (Michael Neser 35, Usman Khawaja 29, Josh Tongue 5/45) vs England.