England ended a long wait in Australia with a four wicket win in the Ashes Test at Melbourne. The victory snapped an 18 match winless run on Australian soil. It also gave England a big lift before the final Test in Sydney.
England had lost the first three Tests, which allowed Australia to retain the Ashes. Under pressure, they responded with a strong all round display. The match finished inside two days, a rare sight in Ashes history.
England bowled Australia out for 132 in the second innings. Josh Tongue led the attack with figures of 5 for 45. The target was set at 175.
England chased it with intent. They reached 178 for 6 to seal the win. The crowd of more than 92,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground saw wickets fall quickly across both days.
Zak Crawley scored 37 at the top. Jacob Bethell added 40 in the middle order. Ben Duckett made 34 before falling to a sharp yorker. England lost quick wickets, but the chase stayed on track.
Harry Brook scored 18 not out. Jamie Smith stayed with him to finish the game. Their calm stand ended the contest and sparked loud celebrations from the travelling fans.
Ben Stokes praised his team’s courage after the match. England will now move to Sydney with renewed confidence.
This was England’s first Test win in Australia since 2011. After heavy defeats earlier in the series, they finally found their rhythm when it mattered most.
