Boxing Day at the MCG started with England winning the toss. Ben Stokes took one look at the green pitch—seriously, 10mm of grass, way more than usual—and sent Australia in to bat. Right away, England’s quicks were all over them.
| Score at the end of day 1 | Australia 152 England 110 Australia 4/0 |
|---|---|
| England’s top performer | Josh Tongue 11.2 overs 2 maidens 45 runs 5 wickets |
| Australia’s top performer | Michael Neser 35 runs with the bat, the highest from Australia & 4 wickets in 10 overs |
| Fielder of the day | Ben Stokes took a brilliant catch running backwards to dismiss Mitchell Strac |
England Strikes Early as Australia Crumbles
Gus Atkinson drew first blood in the seventh over. Travis Head tried to cut one but only managed to drag it onto his stumps for 12. Next up, Josh Tongue took charge. He got Jake Weatherald caught behind for 10, and two balls later, Marnus Labuschagne edged to Joe Root at slip. Suddenly, Australia were 34 for 3 inside 12 overs.
Steve Smith walked out, faced Tongue, and didn’t last long. Tongue bowled him with a sharp nipper for just 9. Australia looked rattled at 51 for 4, with only Usman Khawaja holding things together. He played carefully and made it to lunch on 21 not out, with Alex Carey alongside him on 9.
Ashes 4th Test Day 1 Session 2
Khawaja Falls, But Neser Fights Back
After the Lunch break, the sun showed up, but England didn’t let up. Atkinson found Khawaja’s edge after a review—gone for 29. Stokes got Carey, with Crawley taking a sharp catch at leg gully. Carey managed 20, but Australia slumped to 91 for 6 and looked in a mess.
Cameron Green and Michael Neser tried to steady things, putting on 52 for the seventh wicket. Neser played some shots, reaching 35 with seven boundaries, while Green made 17 before a run out sent him packing. The end came quickly after that. Tongue cleaned up Neser and had Boland caught by Harry Brook, wrapping up his first five-for in Australia with figures of 5 for 45. Australia got bowled out for 152 in just 45.2 overs.
Ashes 4th Test Day 1 Session 3
Australia’s Pace Attack Wrecks England
Then it was England’s turn, and things only got worse for them. Mitchell Starc struck early, swinging the ball. Michael Neser, on his MCG Test debut, bowled with real zip and grabbed four wickets. Scott Boland chipped in with three more. England’s batters had no answer to the movement and pace—nobody stuck around. They were skittled for 110 in under 30 overs. Australia finished the day with a 42-run lead.
Twenty wickets in a single day. The crowd—an incredible 93,442, the biggest ever for a cricket match in Australia—got their money’s worth. Josh Tongue became the first England bowler to take a five-for at the MCG since 1998. Australia lost four wickets in the morning, matching a record that stood since the 1977 Centenary Test. Jhye Richardson returned to Test cricket after four years out with shoulder trouble. Steve Smith captained the team since Pat Cummins was rested. Australia already has the Ashes wrapped up, leading the series 3-0.
