The Ashes series may be decided, but the fight for pride and a potential Australian whitewash ignited with ferocious intensity on a breathtaking opening day of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In a stunning display of fast bowling dominance, a staggering 20 wickets fell across just 75 overs, setting up a precarious yet commanding position for the home side.
Day of the quick bowlers
After England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bowl, the decision initially appeared inspired. Josh Tongue led the English attack with a brilliant 5-45, his third Test five-wicket haul, as Australia was skittled for a mere 152 runs in 45.2 overs. However, any English optimism was brutally extinguished within hours.
The tourists' batting reply was nothing short of calamitous. They collapsed to 4-16 inside eight overs, with star batter Joe Root among the early casualties. Only a counter-attacking partnership between Harry Brook (41 from 34 balls) and Stokes provided brief resistance before the innings unravelled completely. Australia's pacemen, led by Scott Boland (3-30) and Mitchell Starc (2-23), ripped through the order to bowl England out for 110, just 12 minutes before stumps.
A historic collapse and a looming hat-trick
The sheer volume of wickets made it the most dramatic first day at the MCG in over a century, with the last time more falling on an opening day being 1902. Remarkably, every single one of the 75 overs bowled came from a fast bowler.
The drama did not end with the final wicket. Australia, finishing the day at 0-4 in their second innings, sent in nightwatchman Scott Boland. This sets up a highly unusual scenario for day two. As the last man out in the first innings, Boland now faces the prospect of Josh Tongue taking a hat-trick with the first ball he bowls. If Tongue succeeds, Boland would become the first batter in Test history to be dismissed twice in the same hat-trick.
What's next on Day 2?
Australia will resume with a 46-run lead and all ten second-innings wickets in hand. The question now is whether they can build a formidable target to push for a 4-0 series lead, or if the pitch will continue to offer so much assistance to the bowlers, giving England a glimmer of hope for their first win of the Australian summer. The action continues live and free on the Seven Network.
