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On a tumultuous opening day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, England’s batting lineup suffered a heavy collapse, being dismissed for just 110 runs in the fourth Ashes Test. This marked a chaotic start to the match, with a remarkable 20 wickets falling across both teams—a first-day tally not seen in an Ashes Test since 1909. Australia, captained by Steve Smith in this match, also struggled initially but managed to post a total of 152. England now find themselves trailing by 46 runs as the day ended, with Australia beginning their second innings.
Smith commented on the pitch conditions, highlighting the presence of 10mm long grass, which required the batsmen to remain particularly alert during the Boxing Day Test. His prediction held true, as the pitch clearly favoured the bowlers and led to swift dismissals. Australia’s innings was followed by a rapid collapse from England, who were bowled out quickly after tea. In an unusual development, Australia even commenced their second innings on the first day—only the third time this has happened in Ashes history. The hosts finished the day four wickets down.
England’s afternoon flicker of hope centered around Harry Brook, who scored 41 runs featuring two sixes, providing resistance amid his team’s top-order failures. However, the bowling from Australia’s Michael Neser and Scott Boland ensured England’s innings was cut short. Neser took four wickets while Boland claimed three. England’s struggles were compounded by a fast-paced bowling spell from Josh Tongue, who led Australia’s attack with five wickets for 45 runs. The day ended with Boland even taking on the role of nightwatchman, a quirky highlight of an otherwise difficult session for the tourists.
Despite England’s earlier improvements in bowling and fielding, the batting frailties resurfaced in Melbourne. The chaotic day reinforced Australia’s dominance in the series, with a Boxing Day crowd of 94,199—the largest ever for a cricket match in Melbourne—witnessing the drama. England’s hopes of finding form over the Christmas period were dashed as they were once again overwhelmed. Nonetheless, the day promised an exciting contest ahead as Australia maintained control, with the visitors desperately needing a stronger response in the coming sessions
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