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England’s pace bowling finally found its rhythm on the opening day of the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, much to the delight of a lively and packed Boxing Day crowd. Although Scott Boland’s efforts eventually caught attention, it was England’s collective fast-bowling unit that made a significant impact after their previous struggles in the series. Following their loss of the urn in South Australia, England’s bowlers took time to reflect and adjust their tactics en route to the MCG.
During the earlier matches in the series, England’s bowlers tended to deliver at an average length of 7.85 meters, a strategy that allowed Australia’s batsmen to dominate and build momentum leading to a 3-0 series lead for the hosts. However, on day one in Melbourne, the English attack shortened their length to an average of 6.89 meters. This small but crucial change resulted in Australian batsmen faltering and being all out for 152 runs, much to the crowd’s excitement. England’s renewed focus meant bowling in areas known to yield wickets, which led to more edges and dismissals, transforming their bowling from hopeful to purposeful.
Former England spinner Phil Tufnell praised the team’s efforts during the coverage on Test Match Special, noting the simplicity of their improvement: “England just bowled better, and they put it in good areas.” He emphasized that the pitch at the MCG wasn’t wildly seaming but offered enough assistance for England, who won the toss and chose to bowl. Data from CricViz corroborated this shift, indicating that 6.89 meters was the second-fullest average length England had bowled in any Test innings since Brendon McCullum took over as coach.
A stroke of fortune also played a role early in the innings. Travis Head was dismissed by pulling a delivery onto his stumps, and Josh Tongue gained a leg-side wicket by deceiving Jake Weatherald. Tongue’s skill shone as he took five wickets, including crucial dismissals of top-order batsmen Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith. Labuschagne fell to a full delivery that found the edge to slip, while Smith was bowled through the gate by a sharp nip-backer. Tongue then quickly removed Michael Neser and Scott Boland in successive balls, wrapping up a dominant opening bowling spell. CricViz statistics revealed Tongue’s remarkable 5-21 from just 24 deliveries pitched in the full-length zone, a feat rarely matched, with only Stuart Broad having previously taken five wickets from such a length in a Test innings in the ball-tracking era.
Tongue’s average bowling speed decreased slightly from 86.7 mph in Adelaide to 85.3 mph in Melbourne, suggesting a more controlled approach akin to his nickname “Redditch Rhythmist,” contrasting with the “Redditch Rocket” impression earlier. Tufnell remarked on the sustained pressure from England’s bowling, likening it to the conditions in Adelaide, and celebrated the disciplined lengths used throughout the day. He also expressed joy for Tongue’s standout performance, calling it “excellent bowling” and highlighting the collective improvement of the English attack. As the team rested between innings, their confidence was likely buoyed by the positive turnaround, even if the relief was brief
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