England snapped a 15-year winless streak on Australian soil with a thrilling four-wicket victory in the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, sealing the match inside two chaotic days in front of a bumper crowd of 92,045.
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After a remarkable opening day that saw 20 wickets fall — the most on day one of an Ashes Test since 1909 — England piled pressure on the hosts by dismissing Australia for just 132 shortly after lunch on day two. That left the tourists chasing a modest target of 175 to claim a morale-boosting victory after heavy defeats in the first three Tests.
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Jacob Bethell held his nerve, absorbed the heat and played a crucial role in the chase as England pulled off a historic Test win in Australia after 5️⃣4️⃣6️⃣8️⃣ days.
Well played,… pic.twitter.com/0zKPRSW0Ts
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) December 27, 2025
The four was wild, the six was unbelievable but the English crowd couldn’t get enough of this defence from Ben Duckett. #Ashes pic.twitter.com/S5czIsLgJt
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2025
England’s run chase was built on aggressive intent from the start, with openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett embracing their trademark “Bazball” approach. Duckett struck early boundaries before falling for 34, while Crawley contributed a gritty 37. Jacob Bethell steadied the innings with a valuable 40 as wickets fell around him.
Australia fought back through Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Jhye Richardson, briefly raising hopes of a collapse. Richardson removed Joe Root, while Starc accounted for captain Ben Stokes, but England held their nerve in the closing stages. Harry Brook and Jamie Smith calmly guided the tourists home, sparking loud celebrations from England’s travelling supporters.
Earlier, England’s bowlers dominated on a lively pitch with significant grass cover. Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue and Ben Stokes shared the spoils as Australia struggled for momentum in their second innings. Travis Head top-scored with 46, while Steve Smith remained unbeaten on 24, but the hosts lost their final four wickets for just 13 runs.
The match was played amid debate over the pitch, with several former players criticising it for being excessively bowler-friendly. Despite the controversy, England’s victory was emphatic and historic.
Read More: 20 wickets fall on day 1 as Australia gain edge in 4th Test
The win ends England’s long drought in Australia, their first Test success there since 2011. It restores pride after a bruising series and sets up a potentially momentum-shifting final Test in Sydney, where England will arrive with renewed confidence.