England Win Test in Australia After 5,468 Days; Avoid Ashes Whitewash in Melbourne
The tone for this victory was set by Josh Tongue's 5-wicket haul in the first innings;
Australia last whitewashed England in the 2013–14 Ashes series
Udaipur, Dec 27, 2025: For the first time since World War II, Melbourne witnessed the fall of 20 wickets on the opening day of an Ashes Test. On Saturday alone, 16 wickets fell. In the end, after 5,468 days, Ben Stokes’ team finally tasted a Test victory on Australian soil, and they did it in just two days.
Before this Test, England were under heavy pressure. English players faced criticism for excessive drinking, and there were fears of a whitewash. However, by winning in Melbourne, England avoided that humiliation.
Half of the fourth Test was completed on the very first day. England bowled out Australia for just 152 runs, but then their batting collapsed to 110 runs against the bowling of Neser, Boland, and Starc. Australia began their second innings with a 42-run lead and reached 4 without loss by the end of Day 1.
At the start of Day 2, nightwatchman Scott Boland was dismissed for 6. Travis Head tried to hold one end, but the other Australian batters failed to settle and could not support him.
Jake Weatherald (5), Marnus Labuschagne (8), Usman Khawaja (0), and Alex Carey (4) were all dismissed cheaply. As a result, Travis Head’s 46 runs went in vain, as no solid partnership was formed. Steve Smith stayed unbeaten on 24, but he received no support from the other end. Australia’s innings eventually collapsed for 132 runs.
Brydon Carse picked up four wickets, while Ben Stokes took three. Josh Tongue claimed two wickets, and Gus Atkinson took one. With a 42-run lead from the first innings, Australia set England a target of 175 runs.
England End Long Wait on Australian Soil
Considering England’s collapse in the first innings, the target did not look easy on the Melbourne pitch. However, the English batters showed better discipline in the second innings. Openers Zak Crawley (37) and Ben Duckett (34) added 51 runs for the first wicket. Jacob Bethell, who had scored only four in the first innings, made a valuable 40 this time. Joe Root failed again, managing just 15 runs, but England were already close to victory by then. Eventually, Stokes and his team won the match by four wickets.
England won a Test match in Australia after 15 years. In their previous 18 Tests on Australian soil, they had lost 16 and drawn two. Their last Test win in Australia came in the 2010–11 series in Sydney. With this victory in Melbourne, England finally ended their long drought.
Australia had a chance to whitewash England. A win in the fourth Test would have moved Steve Smith and his team closer to that goal. The defeat in Melbourne ended that hope. Australia last whitewashed England in the 2013–14 Ashes series.
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Q&A
How long after did England win a Test in Australia?
England won a Test in Australia after 15 years.
Where was England’s last Test win in Australia before Melbourne 2025?
Their previous win came in Sydney during the 2010–11 Ashes series.
How many days did the Melbourne Test last?
The match concluded in just two days.
Who were England’s key performers in the match?
Brydon Carse, Ben Stokes, Josh Tongue, and key contributions from Crawley, Duckett, and Bethell.
Did this defeat affect Australia’s whitewash hopes?
Yes, the loss ended Australia’s chances of whitewashing England in the series.
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