England's Bowlers Dominate Australia in Boxing Day Test
Bowling Brilliance Shakes Australia
In Melbourne, Australia, on December 27, England's bowlers showcased their prowess, particularly through impressive performances by Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue. By the end of the first session on day two of the Boxing Day Test, Australia found themselves in a precarious position with six wickets down, as England aimed to end their 18-match winless streak in Australia during the Ashes series.
At the session's conclusion, Australia was struggling at 98/6 after 25 overs, with Steve Smith (16*) and Cameron Green (6*) at the crease. They had a lead of 140 runs but were left with only four wickets to set a challenging target for England, who were thriving in bowler-friendly conditions. However, England's Gus Atkinson had to exit the field early in the session due to hamstring discomfort.
Australia began the day at 4/0, with Scott Boland (4*) and Travis Head (0*) not out. Just six overs in, Atkinson struck for England, dismissing Boland, the nightwatchman, for a mere six runs, caught by keeper Jamie Smith. Australia was now 22/1.
The introduction of captain Ben Stokes led to the quick dismissal of Jake Weatherald, who fell for just five runs, leaving Australia at 40/2 after 10.5 overs.
Australia managed to reach 50 runs in 13.3 overs, but Marnus Labuschagne's struggles continued as he was caught by Joe Root at first slip for eight runs, giving Tongue his first wicket of the innings and sixth overall. Australia was now at 61/3.
Head's innings ended disappointingly when a well-pitched delivery from Carse knocked over his off-stump. He scored 46 runs off 67 balls, including four boundaries, leaving Australia at 82/4.
Usman Khawaja's Boxing Day Test experience ended abruptly as he was dismissed for a duck, caught by substitute fielder Ollie Pope, making it 83 runs for five wickets.
Carse then took out Alex Carey for just four runs, pushing Australia down to 88/6. Smith and Green managed to see out the rest of the session without further losses.
England opted to bowl first, and Tongue's five-wicket haul (5/45) helped dismiss Australia for a mere 152 in their first innings. Neser (35 runs off 49 balls) and Khawaja (29 runs off 52 balls) were the top scorers for the Australian side.
Tongue made history by becoming the first bowler from England to achieve a five-wicket haul in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the 21st century, playing a pivotal role in limiting Australia's innings to just two sessions.
His aggressive and relentless bowling was what England fans had been yearning for. After losing the Ashes Test series and waiting for their first victory in Australia since the 2010/11 series, England, especially Tongue, approached the MCG fixture with determination. Representing the Three Lions, Tongue played with the fierce pride of English cricket, which has faced numerous challenges in Australia since their last Ashes win there.
The last time England had a five-wicket haul at the MCG was by Darren Gough and Dean Headley in 1998.
England concluded their day at 110 all out, with Brook as the top scorer and Gus Atkinson contributing 28 runs off 35 balls. Meanwhile, Michael Neser (4/45) and Scott Boland (3/30) excelled with the ball. Australia ended the day at 4/0, leading by 46 runs.