The 5,468-day drought has finally ended. England has scripted history with a remarkable win on Australian soil, clinching victory in a Test match after nearly 15 years. This momentous triumph took place on the second day of the Ashes 2025–26 fourth Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), an event many describe as a 'miraculous win'.
Chasing a challenging 175-run target in the fourth innings, England achieved a 4-wicket victory in 32.2 overs. It was the first time since 1962 that England successfully chased a fourth-innings target in an Australian Test. This also marked England's comeback win in Australia after 18 Test matches.
England's aggressive strategy finally paid off. The opening pair, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, added 51 runs in just 42 balls, significantly easing the pressure of the chase. This came after a disappointing first innings where England was all out for just 110 runs.
Wickets Kept Falling on Day Two
Day two witnessed some nervous moments in the England dressing room as Australia took crucial wickets. After Joe Root (15) and Ben Stokes (2) departed, England was just 10 runs shy of victory. However, Harry Brook (unbeaten 18 off 22 balls) made no mistakes, leading the team to a secure win. This victory was England's first Test win in Australia since defeating the hosts by an innings and 83 runs in the Sydney Test on January 7, 2011, clinching the Ashes 3–1.
Debate Over the Pitch
The match concluded within two days, sparking significant debate regarding the pitch. The first day saw 20 wickets tumble, the highest count in Australia since the 1951 Adelaide Oval. The second day continued the trend, with 16 more wickets falling.
Even in the first Test of this series (Perth), 19 wickets fell on the first day, leading to a two-day match conclusion. So far, only 13 out of 20 scheduled days have been played in the Ashes series. The final Test will be from January 4 to 8 in Sydney, with England looking to finish on a high after avoiding a 0-5 whitewash, while Australia aims to seal a 4-1 series triumph.
Read More: Tension in the Ashes... Root's Catch of Labuschagne Spurs Controversy, VIDEO
Match Overview
In this fourth Test, Australia batted first, scoring only 152 runs in their first innings, thanks to Josh Tongue's 5-wicket haul. In response, England was restricted to 110 runs, allowing Australia a lead of 42 runs.
However, Australia fell short again in the second innings, collapsing for 132, as Cars, Tongue, and Stokes delivered lethal bowling. With 175 runs to chase, England reached the target with 4 wickets in hand.
This victory is especially significant for England as the series hadn't gone well for them, having lost three matches consecutively. There was mounting criticism of the players, not just from fans but from former players too. This win will momentarily silence the critics.
