{"id":655687,"date":"2025-12-26T10:28:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T10:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/655687\/"},"modified":"2025-12-26T10:28:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T10:28:12","slug":"fourth-ashes-test-australia-england-bowled-out-on-farcical-opening-day-in-melbourne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/655687\/","title":{"rendered":"Fourth Ashes Test: Australia, England bowled out on farcical opening day in Melbourne"},"content":{"rendered":"

England<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

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

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

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

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<\/a>‘s 29 and Michael Neser<\/a>‘s 35 were difference-makers.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

England are in CHAOS ?<\/p>\n

Bethell lasts just four balls and then Crawley goes for 5…<\/p>\n

? Watch #TheAshes<\/a> LIVE on TNT Sports and discovery+ pic.twitter.com\/8uuPRcq8YD<\/a><\/p>\n


\n\u2014 Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) December 26, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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

Harry Brook<\/a>‘s 41 from 34 balls – aided by Gus Atkinson’s 28 from 35 – saved England from their biggest embarrassment of the tour so far.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n