Ben Duckett Reaches 3,000 Test Runs Amid Ashes Challenge

Ben Duckett Achieves Milestone in Melbourne

Melbourne [Australia], December 27: England's opener Ben Duckett marked a significant achievement by surpassing 3,000 Test runs on Saturday.

The 31-year-old left-handed batsman reached this milestone during the fourth Ashes Test, held on Boxing Day in Melbourne. In a chase for a modest target of 175 runs, Duckett scored 34 runs off 26 balls, hitting four boundaries and a six, with a strike rate of 130.77, marking his first score over 30 in the series.

Having played 42 Tests, Duckett's career tally now stands at 3,005 runs, averaging 40.06 with a strike rate of 86.44. His record includes six centuries and 16 fifties across 78 innings, with a personal best of 182.

However, Duckett's performance in the current Ashes series has been disappointing, accumulating only 133 runs in eight innings at an average of 16.62, with a top score of 34. Off-field issues have compounded his struggles, as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is looking into a video that appears to show him intoxicated and lost while trying to return to the team hotel after a heavy defeat in the second Test at Brisbane.

In the match itself, England won the toss and chose to bowl first. Josh Tongue made history by taking England's first-ever five-wicket haul in a Boxing Day Test at the MCG, dismissing Australia for 152 runs in 45.2 overs. Michael Neser (35 runs off 49 balls) and Usman Khawaja (29 runs off 52 balls) were the top scorers for Australia, with Neser contributing to a half-century partnership with Cameron Green (17) before a run out triggered a batting collapse.

England struggled in their first innings, bowled out for just 110 runs in 29.5 overs. Harry Brook (41 runs off 34 balls) and Gus Atkinson (28 runs off 35 balls) were the only notable contributors. The combination of England's aggressive 'Bazball' strategy failing and the challenging pitch conditions allowed Neser (4/45) and local hero Scott Boland (3/30) to claim easy wickets, leaving England trailing by 42 runs.

In their second innings, Australia again faltered, with only Travis Head (46 runs off 67 balls) and Steve Smith (24* runs off 39 balls) managing to score over 20 runs. England bowled them out for 132 runs in 34.3 overs, setting a target of 175 runs for England to chase. Brydon Carse (4/34) and captain Ben Stokes (3/24) were the standout bowlers for England.

As the second session concluded, England was at 77/2, needing 98 runs to secure victory.