Ashes Breakthrough: England Beat Australia at MCG to End 15-Year Drought

England’s 5,468-day wait for a Test victory in Australia finally came to an end as they sealed a dramatic four-wicket win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Day 2 of the fourth Test of the Ashes 2025–26.

Chasing a tricky target of 175 in the fourth innings, England reached the mark in just 32.2 overs to script a long-awaited breakthrough on Australian soil. It was their first successful fourth-innings run chase in Australia since 1963—also at the MCG—and their first Test win in the country in 18 matches.

England’s aggressive Bazball approach, questioned throughout the tour, finally delivered when it mattered most. Openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley set the tone with a rapid 51-run stand off just 42 balls, wiping out much of the deficit created by England’s first-innings collapse for 110.

Duckett’s counterattack ended on 34 off 26 balls, undone by a trademark Mitchell Starc yorker, but Crawley continued to frustrate Australia with a fluent 37 off 48. Jacob Bethell then played a crucial hand, scoring a composed 40 off 46 balls to bring England within touching distance of victory.

Nerves before Brook seals it

Brief jitters followed as Australia picked up key wickets, removing Joe Root (15) and Ben Stokes (2), leaving England 10 runs short. Harry Brook, however, showed composure under pressure, finishing unbeaten on 18 off 22 balls to guide England home without further damage.

The victory marked England’s first Test win in Australia since 7 January 2011, when they beat the hosts by an innings and 83 runs in Sydney to clinch the Ashes 3–1.

Australia collapse again on Day 2

Earlier in the day, Australia resumed on 4/0, with Scott Boland and Travis Head extending their opening stand to 22 before Gus Atkinson found Boland’s edge. Promoted to No. 3, Jake Weatherald (5) was bowled by Ben Stokes, while Marnus Labuschagne (8) edged Josh Tongue to Joe Root at first slip, departing amid visible frustration over the catch.

Head provided brief resistance, striking an aggressive 46 before Brydon Carse (4/34) produced a superb delivery to end his innings. Usman Khawaja lasted just two balls, caught at fine leg off a Tongue bouncer, as Australia slumped to 98/6 by lunch after losing six wickets in the opening session.

Cameron Green (19 off 29) and Steve Smith (24 off 39) attempted to stabilise the innings with a 31-run partnership, but Stokes (3/24) broke the stand, triggering another collapse. Australia were eventually bowled out for 132 as Carse and Stokes cleaned up the tail.

Pitch under scrutiny as Tests end quickly

The match ending inside two days once again brought the MCG pitch under scrutiny. Day 1 had already seen 20 wickets fall—the most in Australia since 1951—followed by another 16 on Day 2. The opening Test in Perth also produced a result inside two days after 19 wickets fell on the first day.

Across the series so far, only 13 days of cricket have been played out of a possible 20, with one Test remaining. The final match will be played in Sydney from January 4–8, where England, having avoided a 5–0 whitewash, will aim to finish strongly, while Australia seek to wrap up the series 4–1, holding a 3–1 lead.