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Australia v England Ashes recap - Hosts lead by 46 runs as 20 wickets fall on chaotic Day 1 of fourth Test at MCG
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Updated 26/12/2025 at 08:17 GMT
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A recap of TNT Sports' live text coverage of the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground. England are battling to restore pride in the fourth Test, with Australia having already wrapped up the series. It was a flying start for the tourists, who took the first six wickets before Australia had reached 100. But the tide soon turned. Watch every ball of the Ashes live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Highlights: Rollercoaster Day 1 sees 20 wickets fall as Australia lead England
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Australia take healthy lead after chaotic 20-wicket first day at the MCG
Twenty wickets fell on a chaotic Boxing Day Test at the MCG as Australia took a healthy 46-run lead on a seam-friendly pitch.
England made the most of winning the toss to rip through Australia's batting line-up, as Josh Tongue took three wickets in a cool and cloudy opening session.
Gus Atkinson was equally dangerous at the other end, bowling Travis Head, but a rally from Usman Khawaja and Alex Carey clawed the hosts to 72-4 at lunch.
Immediately after the break, Atkinson and Ben Stokes took two quick wickets to send both batters back to the pavilion before Cameron Green and Michael Neser counterattacked.
The 50-run partnership was broken when Carse showed instinctive fielding off his own bowling to run Green out, before getting Mitchell Starc caught at mid-on soon after.
Tongue returned to clean up Neser for 35, the highest score of the innings, before getting Boland first ball to bowl Australia out for 152 by tea, with Tongue finishing on 5-45.
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Tongue double seals five-for as Australia skittled for 152
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England would have been hoping for a repeat of their performance on this ground 15 years ago, when they put on a monster opening stand after bowling out Australia for a low total.
But Starc found a quick breakthrough as under-pressure Ben Duckett skied a catch to mid-wicket, before Zak Crawley, Jacob Bethell and Joe Root all fell quickly, leaving England 16-4.
Starc and Neser looked lethal with the new ball on a grassy pitch, but Harry Brook threw caution to the wind and, after a couple of lucky breaks, started to find the boundary as England counterattacked.
Brook's aggression and Stokes' defence combined well to produce a 50 partnership of their own before Boland was finally rewarded for his efforts, trapping Brook lbw for 41.
Boland got Stokes to edge to slip soon after, before Will Jacks was caught behind too, this time by Carey, as England looked set for a double-digit score.
Atkinson batted sensibly with the tail, scoring 28 himself to drag England to 110 before Green came on to take the final wicket, leaving the Aussies with one over to survive before stumps.
Boland was sent out to face and, to the delight of the record 94,199 crowd, flashed a four off the final ball to leave Australia with a 46-run lead at close, with all 10 wickets still in the bank.
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Do England need change of captain and coach? Swann and Cook have their say...
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Swann: 'Unplayable' Tongue took his chance well
Graeme Swann speaking to TNT Sports: "I'm a bowler at heart, so I don't mind it too much but there's not exactly much spin on display. Josh Tongue took five very well-deserved wickets.
"He pitched the ball up, he attacked the stumps and he also attacked the outside edge. He took Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith within four or five balls. Look at the length he bowled, he was pitching it up, and they were all very good deliveries.
"If he does the same in the second innings, given how Australia bowled, he'll be unplayable again. He took his chance well. It's a remarkable statistic that he's got Steve Smith out in every first-class game he's played against him."
Sir Alastair Cook: "He read the conditions really well and was accurate. I liked the way he bowled to Labuschagne in particular. It was patient. Sometimes, as a bowler you chase it when it's nipping all around. He held his length. He was disciplined and he got rewarded."
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'England must strike early on Day 2' - Cook
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Cook: 'It's not a great Test Match wicket'
Sir Alastair Cook speaking to TNT Sports: "It sums up the day that the loudest moment was Scott Boland blocking the last over. It summed up the madness. I think we have to talk a little bit about this wicket.
"It's not a great Test match wicket. Unless it flattens out on days two, three and four, if we get there... that was too heavily weighted in the bowlers' favour.
"The bowlers didn't have to work that hard for the wickets. If you put the ball in the right area, it's going to nip either way. I actually think it was a bit of an unfair contest.
"Could both sides have batted better? Yes, but I was watching some of that bowling wondering I'm not sure how you face that."
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'What dreams are made of ' - Tongue reflects on five-wicket haul
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Swann: 'It's not all doom and gloom for England'
Graeme Swann speaking to TNT Sports: "What a Boxing Day for those who have paid and flown over here. You can't ask to see much more than that.
"The atmosphere at the end for one over, when home legend Scott Boland had to go out as the night watchman and could have got out first ball. The roars at the end when he hit a four with the last ball.
"What an incredible atmosphere. If England bowl well, the groundsmen has said that it will become easier to bat on, so that bodes well for England.
"What an incredible atmosphere. If England bowl well, the groundsmen has said that it will become easier to bat on, so that bodes well for England.
"If Josh Tongue bowls as well as he did today, it's not all doom and gloom for England. They can still win this Test. I am with Cooky though with the pitch. It's a little bit unfair for the batsmen."
Stumps: Australia 4-0 (Boland 4, Head 0) Overs 1
Australia lead by 46 runs
Boland fends the first ball away, aerially but safe. This is a bodyline-esque field.
Lbw appeal second ball, but going down leg. There are five slips, and four catchers on the leg side. A sight to behold.
A slight smirk from Boland as he defends the fourth ball confidently.
The fifth ball is edged to fifth slip who puts it down! You cannot make this up! Jacob Bethell has dropped Boland at FIFTH slip.
And Boland's outside edge off the last ball goes for four! What a day of cricket!
Final over of the day incoming
Here come Australia's openers - Travis Head and....
Scott Boland!
Boland will face, as Gus Atkinson takes the ball. Five slips. One more over of chaos.
Swann: 'This is absolutely bonkers'
Graeme Swann speaking to TNT Sports: "I'm pretty sure Jake Weatherald would not have wanted England to have lost that last wicket with an over remaining of the day.
"If they could get a wicket, it could end up being the most bizarre day in Ashes Test history. This is absolutely bonkers."
Australia lead by 42 runs
Twenty wickets have fallen today - the most in a single day of an Ashes Test in over 120 years.
Australia were excellent. England's top order was torn apart by the Aussie quicks before Brook counterattacked while Stokes dug in.
But Boland came on to break the partnership and sent both packing as England slid towards a low total.
Atkinson's late cameo helped drag England over 100, but they still have a 42-run deficit, which is pretty big on a pitch where no batter has scored that much.
Australia will have to survive one over tonight before stumps.
Wicket! Atkinson b Green (28) England 110 all out
Here's Cameron Green now. He begins with a short-ball ploy but Atkinson is more than a match for it.
However, Green goes full and that will be that! Atkinson gets cleaned up and there ends a valiant innings.
England 110-9 (Atkinson 28, Tongue 1) Overs 29
England trail by 42 runs
Starc is back. Can he get a third to finish the job?
He charges in at Atkinson from around the wicket. Australia might not have to bat today at this rate.
Atkinson goes straight and England get two more. Again, he finds a single fifth ball and Tongue survives.
England 107-9 (Atkinson 25, Tongue 1) Overs 28
England trail by 45 runs
Atkinson is standing up to Neser well here, as he blocks out most of the over with the field spread.
He finds a gap at extra cover with two balls to go and takes a single.
Tongue just about defends the final ball.
England 106-9 (Atkinson 24, Tongue 1) Overs 27
Boland has a whole over to bowl at Tongue, but Tongue holds firm.
There was a quarter chance of a caught-and-bowled, but Boland couldn't get a hand on it.
England 106-9 (Atkinson 24, Tongue 1) Overs 26
Tongue shows some beautiful technique with a cover drive to get Atkinson back on strike.
What's happened there?! Atkinson tries to ramp, and gets an outside edge to third man, and there's so much shock that they don't even take a single!
He then clubs a four over Neser's head to bring up the team hundred, before getting four more over extra cover. This match isn't over...
England 97-9 (Atkinson 16, Tongue 0) Overs 25
It looks like Australia will bat for a second time today. What is going on...
What can Tongue do with the bat? For now it is Atkinson, who hooks a shorter delivery fine of fine leg for six!
Other than that, just swings and misses as England close in on triple digits.
Wicket! Carse c Boland b Neser (4) England 91-9
Every single one of Australia's bowlers have been right on the money. Neser finds Carse's outside edge but it goes along the ground to gully.
Now Carse goes for it, but he hooks it straight up in the air and who else but Boland to take the catch at deep square leg!
England 90-8 (Atkinson 9, Carse 4) Overs 23
Atkinson is England's third-highest scorer today. Carse tries to hit Boland's first ball to Tasmania but gets nothing on it.
Boland will also fancy a five-for, but is into the seventh over of his spell.
Two more for England.
England 88-8 (Atkinson 8, Carse 3) Overs 22
EIGHTEEN wickets have fallen on Day 1. Still one short of what happened in Perth last month.
Carse gets off the mark with a couple. Neser will fancy a five-for here.
Can England crawl their way to 100?
Wicket! Stokes c Smith b Neser (16) England 83-8
Neser is back, and back with a wicket!
Stokes's dogged defence finally comes to an end as he wafts outside off and Smith takes a good catch at slip!
England 83-7 (Atkinson 6, Stokes 16) Overs 21
After a quick drinks break, we are back for the last hour. England are into the tail now.
Gus Atkinson does find a nice flick into the on side for four though. Every run counts.
Wicket! Jacks c Carey b Boland (5) England 77-7
Boland has a third and he is relentless!
Back of a length, and Jacks pushes at it, getting an inside edge which Carey takes with ease!
England 77-6 (Jacks 5, Stokes 16) Overs 20
Richardson finally bowls a loose one, allowing Jacks to take three, which ruins his figures a bit.
It is a bit of a chaotic over all-round as England add crucial runs to the score. Khawaja produces a great dive at cover to prevent another boundary.
England 69-6 (Jacks 1, Stokes 15) Overs 19
Jacks is the next bat in, and he too gets cut in half by Boland's delivery, but thankfully for him it misses the stumps.
On the final ball, he tries to emulate Brook by charging down and trying to hoick it over the off-side boundary but is lucky his edge lands safe.
Wicket! Smith b Boland (2) England 68-6
Another absolute peach from Scotty Boland!
Once again, huge assist from the pitch as Boland finds a spot to nip the ball in past Smith's inside edge.
It clips his pad before crashing into the stumps! Can England even survive the day?
England 68-5 (Smith 2, Stokes 15) Overs 18
Richardson and Boland are really bowling well as a pair. The former has built up the pressure with dots while the latter took the big wicket.
Richardson bowls out another tidy over - this time a maiden.
England 68-5 (Smith 2, Stokes 15) Overs 17
In comes Jamie Smith, in desperate need of runs, just like his team.
He starts with two.
Wicket! Brook lbw Boland (41) England 66-5
Stokes drives Boland through the covers, but it doesn't have enough legs to reach the boundary. Three runs is enough to bring up the 50-partnership though.
Three balls later, Boland strikes Brook's pad and that is plum! Partnership broken.
Huge, huge wicket and it is Scott Boland again who strikes at the key moment.
England 62-4 (Brook 40, Stokes 12) Overs 16
Brook takes another single to bring up his 3000th Test run.
Richardson has brought some calmness to this innings. Despite being miserly, he hasn't really threatened.
Is the pitch starting to calm down?
England 61-4 (Brook 39, Stokes 12) Overs 15
Again, Brook takes a single off Boland's first ball, so we don't really get to see that battle play out.
But he does get back on strike to drive for three as Travis Head lumbers his way over to save a run.
England 56-4 (Brook 35, Stokes 11) Overs 14
Here comes Jhye Richardson, bowline in Tests for the first time in four years. He strays onto Brook's pads who takes an easy single.
Other than that, it is a very solid start.
England 55-4 (Brook 34, Stokes 11) Overs 13
Stokes is now starting to shuffle down the pitch to Boland, but Carey is staying back for now.
An over of relative calm.
England 52-4 (Brook 33, Stokes 9) Overs 12
Brook sits back and slogs Neser over cow corner for another six! That has gone well into the crowd.
Neser then errs too full to Stokes who drives for four to bring up the 50.
Another big over for England. This Test is on fast-forward.
England 39-4 (Brook 26, Stokes 3) Overs 11
On comes Scott Boland. He made his debut here against England four years ago and took 6-7.
Brook charges him, and has to block as the ball jumps up at him.
Boland sticks to his metronomic length and line to Stokes, extracting plenty from the pitch to torment the England skipper.
England 38-4 (Brook 25, Stokes 3) Overs 10
Carey's gone up for a stumping, having come up to the stumps for Neser. Brook's foot was momentarily in the air, but just gets it back down in time.
Carey once again showing his prowess with the gloves.
Eight off the over though, helped by a Starc misfield.
England 30-4 (Brook 20, Stokes 0) Overs 9
Brook comes down to Starc, and this time he connects! He drives over extra cover for six!
He then takes three through midwicket. I take back what I said about madness. These are valuable runs.
How will Ben Stokes tackle this pitch? He gets a pearler first ball, but it misses the outside edge.
Brook scoops for four more. You cannot take your eyes off this.
Wicket! Root c Carey b Neser (0) England 16-4
Brook adds another single to his tally, driving to the off-side sweeper. Root continues to defend and gets beaten by an absolute peach from Neser, who is enjoying his return to the side.
And he delivers another peach last ball, and this time he has nicked it!
The umpires will check but Carey is convinced he's taken it cleanly. Root will have to go!
England 15-3 (Brook 6, Root 0) Overs 7
Root, meanwhile, is adopting a very different approach to this wicket as he sizes up Starc, blocking when necessary.
Can he weather this storm?
England 14-3 (Brook 5, Root 0) Overs 6
Brook comes down the ground to Neser and edges just past gully for four! Very fortunate.
Neser appeals for lbw next ball but it is drifting down leg.
Root blocks out the rest of the over.
England 9-3 (Brook 1, Root 0) Overs 5
In comes Harry Brook and he goes after Starc first ball! Madness, utter madness.
I wonder what Tongue and Atkinson are thinking right now, having worked so hard to get England into a winning position.
Wicket! Crawley c Smith b Starc (5) England 8-3
Beauty!
Nothing Crawley can do about that as Starc probes the fourth-stump line and gets an edge which is snaffled by Steve Smith!
England are in all sorts of trouble now
England 8-2 (Crawley 5, Root 0) Overs 4
Neser is absolutely pumped here. This Test could be over very quickly at this rate.
Here's Joe Root to restore some calm to England's top order.
Wicket! Bethell c Carey b Neser (1) England 8-2
Now Neser strikes!
After threatening for the first three balls, he thinks he has Bethell trapped in front with an lbw.
Bethell gets an edge on it but it doesn't matter as Carey takes the catch!
England 8-1 (Crawley 5, Bethell 1) Overs 3
Jacob Bethell is in at three, and is off the mark immediately.
This will not be as straightforward as 2010 but England are still in control.
Wicket! Duckett c Neser b Starc (2) England 7-1
Elegant drive from Crawley knocks off three more runs for England. He's looking in good touch today.
But the very next ball, Duckett is early on a flick and the leading edge balloons straight up to Neser who takes a simple catch!
Duckett's nightmare tour continues.
England 4-0 (Crawley 2, Duckett 2) Overs 2
Michael Neser will bowl from the other end and Crawley immediately swings and misses outside off. That's more like the England we're used to.
Duckett gets off the mark too, driving into the gap for a couple.
England 1-0 (Crawley 1, Duckett 0) Overs 1
The second ball is much more lethal and cuts Crawley inside out, but misses everything.
Crawley actually averages nearly 55 against Starc and has left well so far this over. He then knocks the ball into the off side for a single to get England off the mark.
Duckett edges to gully and Australia claim a catch, but it was very obviously a bump-ball.
England innings underway
Is it good bowling, poor batting, or a tricky pitch. This next session will tell us.
Out come Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, two openers under heavy pressure for very different reasons.
Mitchell Starc to open for Australia - and Crawley leaves his first ball outside off.
England bowl Australia out for 152 at tea
It is a pretty sorry looking scorecard for Australia. Neser's 35 was the high score as everyone struggled on an MCG pitch that nipped around.
Usman Khawaja rallied in the middle with a strong 29 along with most of the middle order, who all got starts, but England's bowling was too good today.
Josh Tongue was electric in both sessions and finished with 5 for 45, while Gus Atkinson produced a superb opening spell to put the hosts under pressure and ended up with two wickets.
Ben Stokes got the key wicket of Alex Carey while Carse, while wayward, also got one wicket and a sharp run out too to cap off a fantastic performance all-round from the tourists.
However, this pitch is doing plenty and England's top order will need to be watchful as Starc, Boland and Co. look to make the most of the grassy surface.
Wicket! Boland c Brook b Tongue (0) Australia 152 all out
Can Tongue get his five-for now? Local hero Scott Boland is in, and I am sure he will be itching to bowl on this surface.
And he goes first ball! Tongue produces another ripper that Boland can only edge to Brook at slip!
Wicket! Neser b Tongue (35) Australia 152-9
Bowled 'im!
Tongue produces an excellent wobble-seam ball first up that nips back inside, past Neser's inside edge and cleans him up!
Great counterattacking innings from Neser but England are in a fantastic position at the MCG.
Australia 152-8 (Richardson 0, Neser 35) Overs 45
Several replays of that front foot have been shown. England have got a very, very lucky decision there. That should have been a no ball.
Anyway, swings and roundabouts and all that. Jhye Richardson, back in the side for the first time in four years, nudges the first ball to midwicket to see out the over
Wicket! Starc c Stokes b Carse (1) Australia 152-8
Starc looks in the mood to attack, but struggles to middle the ball, nearly chipping straight to mid-on with a loose drive.
Two balls later, he tries to clear Stokes at mid-off but this time, Ben Stokes runs back to take the catch over his shoulder.
But wait... has Carse overstepped? No!
Australia 152-7 (Starc 1, Neser 35) Overs 44
Josh Tongue continues, despite Neser flaying him for three boundaries in his previous over. After Mitchell Starc gets off the mark, Neser is happy to see the over out.
A diving Jacob Bethell at backward point prevents a single off the final ball of the over.
Australia 151-7 (Starc 0, Neser 35) Overs 43
After that excellence in the field, it's more looseness with the ball from Carse. One ball jags inwards off the seam and beats the diving Jamie Smith for four byes before Neser cuts a short ball to cover for four more.
Wicket! Green run out Carse (17) Australia 143-7
Brilliant work from Brydon Carse to break the 50-partnership!
Just as Australia look settled, Green blocks the ball into the off side and scampers off for a quick single.
However, Carse is quick out of the blocks, and picks up, spins and hurls the ball at middle stump with Green well short.
Day 1
Welcome to TNT Sports' live text coverage of the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
It has been a flying start for the tourists, who took four wickets in the opening session before striking twice right after lunch to leave Australia at 91-6.
Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson combined excellently, taking three and two wickets respectively, before Ben Stokes came on to dismiss the in-form Alex Carey.
However, Australia have rallied since, as Cameron Green and Michael Neser began to rebuild on a Melbourne pitch offering plenty of seam movement for the bowlers.
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Watch every ball of the Ashes live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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