Fourth Ashes Test: Australia, England bowled out on farcical opening day in Melbourne

By Darren Plant | 26 Dec 2025 10:10

The worst pitch in Ashes history? Australia, England bowled out on first day of Melbourne Test

England were bowled out inside a session on the opening day of the fourth Ashes Test as 20 wickets fell on a farcical day in Melbourne.

After winning the toss and choosing to bowl on a green pitch at the MCG, Ben Stokes would have been confident that his bowlers could dismiss the Baggy Green by stumps.

Although that subsequently materialised, the England skipper would have not anticipated his team also being dismissed and the day ending with bowler Scott Boland opening the batting as Australia started their second innings.

During the first two sessions, England were outstanding with the ball, Josh Tongue the pick of them with figures of 5-45 that included the wickets of Jake Weatherald (10), Marnus Labuschagne (6) and Steve Smith (9).

Even though Australia hit back from 91-6 to 152 all out, there was a natural sense that England were ahead, but it soon became apparent that Usman Khawaja's 29 and Michael Neser's 35 were difference-makers.

England are in CHAOS ?

Bethell lasts just four balls and then Crawley goes for 5...

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In reply, England were 8-3 off 4.2 overs as Ben Duckett (2), Jacob Bethell (1) and Zak Crawley all departed cheaply, before Joe Root's 15-ball duck left the tourists on 16-4.

Harry Brook's 41 from 34 balls - aided by Gus Atkinson's 28 from 35 - saved England from their biggest embarrassment of the tour so far.

Nevertheless, England still went from 66-4 to 77-7 to 110 all out with Neser (4-45) and Boland (3-30) sharing seven wickets between them as England were bowled out in 29.5 overs.

With one over left, Boland was sent in to open, hitting a fortuitous boundary to take Australia to 4-0 at the close and 46 ahead.

Unless the pitch flattens out on day two, Boland will likely have had the ball back in his hand and England potentially in survival mode come stumps on Saturday.