England Secures Historic Victory Over Australia in Fourth Ashes Test

In a stunning display, England defeated Australia by four wickets in the fourth Ashes Test at the MCG, marking the end of an 18-match winless streak in Australia. The match, which concluded in just two days, saw England chase down a target of 175 runs, igniting celebrations among their devoted fans. Captain Ben Stokes praised the team's courage while acknowledging the unusual nature of such a quick Test. With this victory, England aims to build momentum ahead of the final Test in Sydney. Read on for a detailed account of this historic match.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 27, 2025, 18:04 IST

England Breaks Winless Streak in Australia

In a remarkable turnaround, England triumphed over Australia by four wickets in the fourth Ashes Test held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, ending an 18-match winless streak on Australian soil.

After suffering defeats in the first three Tests, which allowed Australia to retain the Ashes within just 11 days of play in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide, England made a strong comeback.

The victory at the MCG was achieved in just two days, mirroring Australia's initial win at Perth.

This match marked a rare occurrence, as it was the first time in 129 years that a single series featured multiple two-day Tests.

England's previous winless run dated back to the 2013-14 Ashes series, where they were defeated 5-0. Since their 3-1 victory in the 2010-11 series, they had lost 16 matches and drawn two out of 18 Tests in Australia over nearly 15 years.

Chasing a target of 175 runs in their second innings, England reached 178-6, igniting celebrations among their loyal fans, the 'Barmy Army'.

Captain Ben Stokes acknowledged the challenges faced during the tour, praising the team's bravery and performance. However, he noted that a two-day Test is not ideal, especially for a Boxing Day match.

England's second innings began with a quick score of 70-2, but they lost key players including Ben Duckett (34) and Brydon Carse (6). Contributions from Zak Crawley (37) and Jacob Bethell (40) were crucial.

Despite a few quick dismissals, Jamie Smith and Harry Brook led the team to victory, setting a positive tone ahead of the final Test in Sydney starting January 4.

Reflecting on the match, Stokes expressed relief at finally securing a win after a long period of struggle.

Earlier in the day, England bowled Australia out for 132 in their second innings, with the pitch at MCG providing significant movement for pace bowlers. England's successful chase came after a total of 30 wickets fell in just over four sessions.

Australia's innings saw a rapid decline from 82-3 to 88-6, with Stokes taking the vital wicket of Cameron Green (19) and Brydon Carse finishing with impressive figures of 4-34.

Australia's captain, Steve Smith, remarked on England's aggressive start, suggesting that a few more runs could have changed the outcome.

Josh Tongue, who was named player of the match, achieved a career-best 5-45, leading England's bowling efforts, while Michael Neser took 4-45 for Australia.

Cricket Australia’s CEO, Todd Greenberg, commented on the implications of short Tests, indicating a potential shift towards more involvement in pitch preparation to enhance the sport's commercial viability.

The match attracted an impressive crowd of 92,045, marking the second-highest attendance for a Test in Australia, just behind the opening day's crowd of 94,199.