The Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground promised drama, but few could have predicted the sheer chaos that unfolded on December 26, 2025. In front of a record-breaking crowd of 94,199 fans, England and Australia produced a day of cricket that will be talked about for years, as 20 wickets tumbled on the opening day of the fourth Ashes Test—more than any other Ashes opener since 1909.
England, already trailing 3-0 in the five-match series and having surrendered the urn in South Australia, arrived at the MCG desperate for a turnaround. There was plenty of soul-searching on the journey from Adelaide, and somewhere between reflection and urgency, England’s pace attack settled on a new plan: bowl fuller. The numbers told the story. In the first three Tests, England’s bowlers averaged a length of 7.85 meters, which allowed Australia’s batters to dominate. But on this dramatic day in Melbourne, England’s average length improved to 6.89 meters—the second-fullest since Brendon McCullum took over as coach. It was a subtle but crucial shift.
Former England spinner Phil Tufnell, speaking to Test Match Special, summed it up: "England just bowled better, and they put it in good areas. It is not rocket science. The pitch wasn't seaming everywhere, it was just holding a little bit – that's why England won the toss and had a bowl."
The results were immediate. Australia, led by stand-in captain Steve Smith, were hustled out for 152 in their first innings. The pitch, sporting 10mm of grass, made batting a tricky prospect, and Smith’s pre-match warning that batters needed to be "on their game" proved prophetic. England’s attack, for once, bowled with intent rather than hope, drawing edges and forcing mistakes as the Australian top order faltered.
The star of the show was Josh Tongue. Having missed the first two Tests but showing promise in Adelaide, Tongue produced a career-defining spell, taking 5 wickets for 45 runs. Even more impressively, CricViz revealed that 5 of those wickets came from just 24 deliveries pitched in the full-length area (3-6 meters)—a feat matched by only one other English seamer in the ball-tracking era, Stuart Broad at Trent Bridge in 2015. Tongue’s pace had dipped slightly from an average of 86.7 mph in Adelaide to 85.3 mph in Melbourne, but what he lost in speed, he gained in control and movement.
Tongue’s wickets were a blend of skill and pressure. Marnus Labuschagne was undone by a full delivery that angled in and found the edge, while Steve Smith, so often England’s nemesis, was bowled by a nip-backer through the gate. Michael Neser and Scott Boland fell to Tongue in consecutive deliveries—one bowled, one caught at slip—capping a remarkable individual performance. As Tufnell observed, "It was a case of pressure really: good constant pressure and Australia couldn't get away... We have bowled too short all series until today but that was a good performance. There were a few overheads too, a few clouds, but they put it in good areas. I am delighted for Josh Tongue, he's been the pick, without doubt. It was excellent bowling."
But if England’s bowlers had reason to celebrate, their batsmen were in for a rude shock. The pitch that had made life difficult for Australia proved downright treacherous for the tourists. England’s innings was a procession, lasting just 29.5 overs—their shortest completed innings since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took charge more than three years ago. At one stage, England were 8-3 and then 16-4, as Michael Neser (4-45) and Scott Boland (3-30) tore through the top order with relentless accuracy.
Harry Brook provided a brief glimmer of resistance, counter-attacking with 41 runs, including two audacious sixes—one lofted over long-off, the other whipped off his pads. His partnership with Stokes added 50 runs in as many balls, but Brook’s dismissal, pinned lbw by Boland after walking across his stumps, triggered another collapse. England lost five wickets for just 25 runs, slumping to 91-9 before Gus Atkinson and Tongue eked out a few precious runs at the end.
The atmosphere at the MCG was electric, with every wicket greeted by a roar from the home fans. The sense of occasion was heightened by the fact that this was the first time in Ashes history that the third innings of the match had begun on day one. As Boland, bizarrely promoted to open as nightwatchman, faced the final over surrounded by nine England fielders in catching positions, the noise reached a crescendo. His edge for four off the fifth ball was met with wild cheers, encapsulating the madness of the day.
Australia closed at 4-0 in their second innings, leading by 46 runs—a slender advantage in a match where momentum has swung wildly. The statistics underline just how extraordinary the day was: 20 wickets fell, surpassing the 19 that fell on the opening day of the first Test in Perth, and marking the most since 1909. The last time an Ashes Test finished in two days was 104 years ago, but with the pitch playing tricks and both sides’ batting frail, Melbourne could yet see another.
For England, there were silver linings amid the gloom. This was the first time their pace attack of Tongue, Atkinson, and Brydon Carse had played together, and they engineered a vastly improved display with the ball. Carse, despite an erratic opening spell, contributed a direct-hit run out of Cameron Green and helped mop up the Australian tail. The fielding was sharp, the catching efficient, and the tactical placement—like Crawley at leg slip to snare Alex Carey—showed a team still fighting for pride and respect.
The day’s events also offered a glimpse into the future of England’s bowling unit. Tongue’s ability to trouble top-class batsmen, Atkinson’s miserly spells, and Carse’s athleticism in the field all bode well for a side in transition. Yet, the batting remains a concern. Only Brook, Stokes, and Atkinson reached double figures, with the rest swept away by relentless Australian pace and movement.
As the players left the field, the sense of anticipation for day two was palpable. Could England’s bowlers conjure more magic and claw their way back into the contest, or would Australia’s batsmen finally tame the unpredictable surface? Whatever happens, Boxing Day 2025 at the MCG will be remembered as a day when cricket’s oldest rivalry delivered yet another unforgettable chapter.
With Australia leading by 46 runs and all to play for, the Ashes drama is far from over. The stage is set for more twists and turns in what has already become a classic Test match.
