Australia vs England: England finally tasted Test success in Australia after nearly 15 years, edging past the hosts by four wickets at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The win, achieved inside just two days, marked England’s first Test victory on Australian soil in 19 matches and ensured they avoided another Ashes whitewash.
Chasing a target of 175 on a difficult surface, England’s batters went on the attack early. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett set the tone by racing to 51 runs inside seven overs, taking on Australia’s bowlers with confidence. Duckett mixed power with innovation, including a memorable scoop for six off Michael Neser, while Crawley launched several clean hits straight down the ground.
Despite the fast start, England were kept honest by regular wickets. Duckett was bowled by Mitchell Starc, Crawley was trapped lbw by Scott Boland, and Joe Root fell lbw to Jhye Richardson as nerves crept in. Ben Stokes then edged Starc with just ten runs needed, briefly raising Australian hopes. In the end, four leg byes sealed the result, sparking cheers from England supporters and muted celebrations from the players.
Jacob Bethell, recalled for the match, played a key role with a composed 40 that steadied the chase. His innings offered a glimpse of his promise, even though his dismissal meant the match ended without a single half-century from either side, a rarity in Test cricket.
Australia were bowled out for 132 in Ashes Australia vs England Test
Australia vs England: Earlier, Australia had taken a first-innings lead of 42 after a chaotic opening day that saw 20 wickets fall. However, they could only manage 132 in their second innings. Brydon Carse and Ben Stokes shared seven wickets between them, with Josh Tongue continuing his impressive series. Gus Atkinson’s hamstring injury early in the day left England short of one frontline bowler, but it did not derail their plans.
Travis Head top-scored for Australia with 46, looking like the most comfortable batter on a pitch offering uneven bounce and movement. His resistance ended when Carse produced a superb delivery to knock over his off stump. Australia’s middle and lower order could not mount a recovery, leaving England a challenging but achievable chase.
The match was the second two-day Test of the series, making it only the fifth time in Test history that a series has featured multiple matches finishing inside two days. While more than 186,000 fans attended across two days, the short duration raised concerns for Cricket Australia. For England, though, the focus was firmly on the result, a rare and long-awaited Ashes Test win in Australia.
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