Melbourne: The opening day of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was nothing short of dramatic, with 20 wickets falling and a combined total of 266 runs scored over 76.2 overs. Over 94,000 spectators witnessed the day’s play, which highlighted challenges faced by modern batters, particularly from England, who appeared reluctant to employ defensive techniques to recover from adversity. Notably, this is the first time since 1909 that 20 or more wickets fell on the opening day of an Ashes Test.
Most Wickets on Day 1 in AUS vs ENG Tests
- 25 – Melbourne, 1901/02
- 22 – The Oval, 1890
- 20 – The Oval, 1882
- 20 – Old Trafford, 1909
- 20 – Melbourne, 1894/95
- 20 – Melbourne, 2025/26
- 19 – Perth, 2025/26
Despite difficult batting conditions, Usman Khawaja and Alex Carey stood out, each facing over 40 deliveries—marking them as the only batsmen from both teams to achieve such a feat while the fast bowlers dominated.
After electing to bowl first, England’s Josh Tongue dismantled the Australian batting order, taking three of the four wickets that fell before lunch. His teammates joined the effort in the second session, culminating in Tongue securing a five-wicket haul as Australia was bowled out for merely 152 runs in the first innings. Michael Neser emerged as the top scorer for the Australians, contributing 35 runs, while Khawaja added 29.
Neser, Boland, Starc Make Light Work of England
Given Australia’s low total, many observers felt England would struggle to cope on this challenging pitch. Despite this, they clung to their aggressive ‘Bazball’ strategy, which resulted in a costly approach. England found themselves in dire straits at 16/4, with Starc and Neser capitalizing on every opportunity.
Harry Brook’s counterattacking innings provided some resistance, scoring 41 runs off 34 balls before being dismissed by Boland. A partnership worth 50 runs between Brook and Ben Stokes offered a glimmer of hope, but the loss of Brook initiated another collapse for England, who lost five wickets for just 25 runs.
Gus Atkinson managed a late effort, scoring 28 runs as England crumbled to 110 runs, thus ceding a substantial 42-run lead. Neser led Australia’s bowling attack with impressive figures of 4/45.
Scott Boland Takes Charge
Australia needed to navigate just one over at the conclusion of Day 1, relying on Scott Boland to see them through. He opened the innings alongside Travis Head, successfully facing a challenging over from Atkinson, and he added a four before the close of play. This left Australia with a 46-run advantage heading into the second innings.
With ample time remaining in the match, Australia could potentially build a significant lead, raising questions about England’s ability to chase down any target set. Given the conditions, there is speculation that the Test could conclude as early as two days, leaving uncertainty about England’s response in the matches ahead.
