CRICKET: Ashes batters run for cover on manic day one in Melbourne

MELBOURNE – Australia finished marginally on top after a dramatic opening day of the fourth Ashes Test, as 20 wickets fell in front of a record crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.

Nightwatchman Scott Boland remained unbeaten on four, while Travis Head was yet to score as Australia reached 4-0 in their second innings, holding a 46-run lead over England at stumps.

England had been bowled out for 110 in reply to Australia’s first-innings total of 152, marking the highest number of wickets in a single day at the MCG since 25 fell in the 1902 Ashes.

Josh Tongue starred for England, claiming a career-best 5-45 to skittle the Australian batting line-up on a lively pitch after captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to field in the traditional Boxing Day Test.

However, England’s batters then suffered a dramatic collapse of their own.

The chaos unfolded before 93,442 fans, breaking the previous MCG attendance record of 93,013 for a single day of cricket set during the 2015 World Cup final.

England, already assured of series defeat after three consecutive losses, entered the match amid off-field scrutiny following reports that some players had taken a “stag party” approach to a trip to Noosa between the second and third Tests.

Despite this, the tourists impressed in the field early on, dismissing Australia in 45.2 overs and bringing the tea break forward. But the top order soon crumbled, and England were bowled out in just 29.5 overs.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan described the pitch as a “shocker,” though Australia’s seamer Michael Neser, who led the team with both bat and ball, saw no issue.

“We know it can move real fast on day one and two, and then once the wicket hardens up and dries out, it can be quite nice to bat on,” Neser said after scoring 35 and taking 4-45.

England’s Miserable Series Continues

Neser’s 35-run contribution outshone England opener Ben Duckett, who was caught for just two after a loose drive off Mitchell Starc. New number three Jacob Bethell, replacing the dropped Ollie Pope, managed only one run before being caught behind. Opener Zak Crawley fell for five, edging Starc to Steve Smith.

Captain Joe Root suffered a 15-ball duck, nicking Neser behind, marking his second duck of the series. Harry Brook and Stokes temporarily steadied the innings with a 50-run partnership, reducing the deficit to 86, but Australia’s Boland then struck with a devastating triple-wicket over. He trapped Brook lbw for 41, bowled Jamie Smith for two, and caught all-rounder Will Jacks for five.

Stokes fell for 16, edging Neser to first slip, leaving only Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue to add a 10th-wicket stand of 19 runs. Cameron Green eventually bowled Atkinson for 28, bringing the day to a close as England’s bowlers managed just one wicketless over before stumps.

Australia’s Jhye Richardson, making his first Test appearance since the last home Ashes in 2021/22, was the only Australian pacer not to claim a wicket. Tongue’s 5-for included bowling England master batter Smith for nine, continuing his streak of dismissing him in every first-class match, including both innings at Lord’s during the 2023 Ashes. Tongue also removed opener Jake Weatherald (10) and Marnus Labuschagne (6), as Australia lost four top-order wickets for just 51 runs.

“Bowling them out for around 150, I thought we did an amazing job as a bowling unit,” Tongue said. “They’ve bowled well too. It’s obviously a pitch that’s doing quite a bit.”

-Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Reuters