England's cricketers have finally tasted victory on Australian soil, ending a painful 5468-day wait with a dramatic four-wicket win in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The triumph, sealed on Saturday, December 27, 2025, marks their first Test win in Australia since January 2011, snapping one of the longest losing streaks in their cricketing history.
A Hastened Finish on a Challenging Pitch
The match concluded swiftly on the second day, leaving many fans disappointed with the nature of the playing surface. The pitch heavily favoured the pace bowlers, creating what many considered an unfair contest between bat and ball. This, combined with subpar batting from both line-ups, led to a staggering 20 wickets tumbling on the opening day itself.
After Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat, his team was bundled out for a mere 152 runs. England's Josh Tongue was the chief destroyer, claiming a brilliant five-wicket haul. England's reply, however, was equally dismal as they collapsed to 110 all out, with Michael Neser (4 wickets) and Scott Boland wreaking havoc.
England's Clinical Chase Seals Historic Win
Australia's second innings offered little resistance as their batters failed to mount a fightback, dismissed for 132. This set England a target of 175 runs. The visitors began the chase confidently, with openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett providing a solid 50-run foundation.
Despite a few nervous moments, Jacob Bethell's crucial 40-run knock at number four steered England closer to the target. The finishing touches were applied by the young duo of Harry Brook and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who saw their team home. The victory brought immense relief to senior players like Joe Root and captain Ben Stokes, for whom this was a maiden Test win in Australia after 18 and 13 attempts, respectively.
Series Context and Looking Ahead
Despite this morale-boosting win, England still trail 1-3 in the five-match Ashes series, having lost the first three Tests. Reflecting on the performance, batter Joe Root acknowledged the team's character. "To lose the series is obviously very disappointing, but I think it was really important that we showed a lot of character for the rest of the series," Root stated. "There's been a lot thrown at this team and the way that we responded throughout these two days has been excellent."
The focus now shifts to the final Test of the series, scheduled to begin on January 4th at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). England will aim to carry this winning momentum to secure a second consecutive victory and end the tour on a high note.
