England’s 18-match winless streak in Australia was snapped as they averted an Ashes whitewash with an extraordinary, ridiculous two-day Test match in Melbourne.
One of the weirdest matches ever played saw England scramble 175 to win on the second evening of the fourth Test, leaving the series at 3-1 entering the finale in Sydney.
The England Bazballers – doing everything right in these devilishly difficult batting conditions, where they have finally found a set of circumstances in Australia on their own freewheeling terms.
They chased that victory inside 33 overs, England winning by four wickets – a legion of travelling supporters finally having something to cheer on what has otherwise been an abysmal tour.
The opportunity to rack up their first Test win in Australia since 2011 was made possible when England bowled out the Australians for 132 on day four at Melbourne Cricket ground (MCG).
Brydon Carse took 4-34 and captain Ben Stokes 3-24 to make up for the absence of Gus Atkinson, who is a doubt for next week’s fifth Test after injuring his hamstring.
🏴 ENGLAND WIN 🏴
Too little too late in terms of the series, but England have won a Test down under for the first time since 2011.
They’ve beaten Australia by four wickets in an utterly bonkers two-day match. 🤯#BBCCricket #Ashes pic.twitter.com/d5v6qrEg0n
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) December 27, 2025
To compound the absurdity, Carse himself then came in at No 3 as a pinch-hitter once Crawley and Ben Duckett had put on 51 in 6.5 overs – England’s biggest opening partnership of the series.
Crawley contributed 37, Duckett 34 and there were moments of assurance from Jacob Bethell, repaying his reinstation with a smooth middle-order 40.
The winning runs, off the thigh pad of Harry Brook, were greeted with a deafening roar from the corner of England supporters at the close of an exhilarating day.
How to even process this crazy, chaotic and memorable Boxing Day contest? This was the 2,615th Test listed and the 27th to end within two days.
Before this series started in Perth in November, there had not been a two-dayer in Ashes cricket since 1921. Now there have been two in five weeks – the first ever series between any teams to include two two-day Tests since 1896.
Was the pitch, carpeted with a verdant 10mm of grass, suitable for Test cricket? It definitely did provide ball more assistance than it was entitled to by bat. Nonetheless, that can take nothing at all from the standard of bowling or forgive some of the batting, which was especially Australia’s fault.
Test cricket is a fabric – no other sport has so much disparity of conditions which can shape the result. The conditions might have generated poor quality cricket on this occasion, but the theatre was irresistible.
Yes, there is the regret at missing a third-day sellout at the gargantuan MCG – but then again, close to 200,000 inside for two days of Test cricket can’t say they weren’t suitably entertained.
At the end of it all, England have their first Test victory in Australia in nearly 15 years. It follows the tourists being sent packing in three Tests and reports of heavy drinking while on holiday in Noosa.
Even a little of the pressure currently piling on captain Stokes, coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key. It at least gives England greats Stokes and Joe Root a first win in Australia after 12 years competing on their soil.
Attack was the word on this surface, it is often treated as the best form of defence - fine for an England side who want to “run towards danger”. Deservedly pilloried for failing to move swiftly with the conditions earlier in the series, this was an ideal moment for some Bazballing.
Duckett, who has had a troubled tour with the bat, was embarrassed further when footage emerged online of the opener in what appeared to be an inebriate state in Noosa. Here, as the away fans chanted his name, he cut and slashed England to a flying start – even scooping Michael Neser over wicketkeeper for six.
Crucially, Duckett was dropped by a sprawling Mitchell Starc at the end of his follow-through on eight – England 13-0. Rescued, Duckett propelled England before he was yorked by Starc.
It was a phenomenal promotion from No. 10 to number three, as England searched for more muscle from a pinch-hitter. By this stage, Crawley was smoking, planting Neser down the ground for a straight six.
Carse had struck just six of his before he top-edged to third man, and Bethell came in with a brief that Test-match normality would begin to prevail. His third-wicket partnership with Crawley was also worth 47, as they sensibly accumulated the singles permitted by a despatched Australian field.
Crawley, meanwhile was across Scott Boland to be lbw with England still needing 63. Unflappable Bethell chalked up another crucial 25 on his Ashes debut alongside Root before he slapped Boland to cover.
Ideally it would have been either of Root or Stokes to be there at the moment of victory, but when it got so close both had been dismissed.
There was, perhaps, even a little mild apprehension as Jamie Smith faced his first ball with 10 needed to win but then he clipped Starc for three and the Barmy Army were on their feet.
Theim in the next over, England’s players spilling on to the pitch to thank the supporters who packed this cathedral of Australian sport with cheery song.
