England secured their first test victory on Australian soil in nearly 15 years, defeating Australia by four wickets in a surprise two-day finish at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Chasing a target of 175, Ben Stokes’ side successfully ended an 18-match winless streak down under that dated back to January 2011.
The match was defined by a grassy pitch that offered sideways movement, resulting in 20 wickets falling on the opening day. Australia, holding a 46-run first-innings lead, was bowled out for just 132 in their second innings on Saturday afternoon. Brydon Carse led the attack with 4 for 34, while captain Ben Stokes took 3 for 24.
Josh Tongue, who finished with seven wickets in the match, was named Player of the Match. The English bowlers effectively covered for the loss of Gus Atkinson, who was forced off the field early in the day with a hamstring injury.
Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett set the tone with a 51-run partnership inside seven overs. In a tactical move to maintain momentum, England promoted Carse to number three as a pinch-hitter, though the experiment yielded only six runs.
Jacob Bethell, in just his fifth Test, played a composed innings of 40 to steady the chase. Despite a late wobble where Joe Root and Ben Stokes fell with victory in sight, Harry Brook and Jamie Smith saw the team over the line.
This fixture marked the second two-day finish of the current series, a rarity in test history. It is the first time since 1896 that a single series has featured multiple two-day matches.
Australia’s batting lineup struggled to adapt, lasting only 79.5 overs across both innings; their fastest dismissal for 20 wickets since 1928. Only Travis Head offered a fight in the second innings with 46, while Steve Smith remained unbeaten on 24 as he ran out of partners.
The win provides a circuit-breaker for England following reports of off-field distractions during a mid-series break in Noosa. For Ben Stokes and Joe Root, the result delivered a long-awaited success in Australia after 12 years of attempts. Stokes noted that while the quick finish was "far from ideal" for the spectacle of the game, his team "run towards the danger" in such difficult conditions.
The statistical dominance of the bowlers was clear, as Australia’s twice-batted effort was their briefest since Donald Bradman’s debut in 1928.
While the early conclusion resulted in financial losses for Cricket Australia due to three missed days of play, the event saw a record-breaking 186,000 fans attend over the two days. The focus now shifts to the fifth and final Test in Sydney, scheduled to begin on January 4. Australia will look to finish the series 4-1, while England aims to carry this newfound momentum into the New Year to further close the gap in the final standings.
