England fast bowler Josh Tongue has staunchly defended his team's much-debated 'Bazball' strategy, despite a dramatic batting collapse that saw the tourists skittled for just 110 on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
A Dramatic Day of Wickets at the MCG
The day began promisingly for the visitors after captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bowl on a grassy deck. The decision paid immediate dividends, with England dismissing Australia for a modest 152 runs. The chief architect of the collapse was Josh Tongue, who claimed a career-best 5-45 in his eighth Test match.
Tongue's devastating spell, which included 3-14 from his first six overs, ripped through Australia's top order. He removed Jake Weatherald and Marnus Labuschagne caught behind before clean-bowling the dangerous Steve Smith. He later bowled top-scorer Michael Neser (31) and wrapped up the innings by dismissing Scott Boland.
England's Batting Reply Unravels Quickly
Any hopes of a significant first-innings lead were swiftly extinguished as England's batters fell in a heap, all out in under 30 overs. Only three players reached double figures: Harry Brook top-scored with a rapid 41 from 34 balls, tailender Gus Atkinson made 28, and captain Ben Stokes contributed 16.
Brook's innings was particularly emblematic of the 'Bazball' philosophy, striking at 120.6 with two fours and two sixes before being trapped lbw by Boland. The pitch, offering consistent seam movement, proved challenging, but England's commitment to attack never wavered.
Tongue's Defence of the Positive Mindset
In the aftermath of the collapse, which left England 3-0 down in the series and the Ashes surrendered, the team's aggressive approach was again scrutinised. Tongue, however, was unwavering in his support.
"I don't mind it ... it's how we play our cricket," Tongue stated. "We play a very positive brand of cricket. We try and put pressure on the opposition and take it back to them. It obviously didn't work as well today but we're going to come back again."
He explained that there was no major change in the dressing room chat, emphasising the team's belief in proactive play. "I feel like we want to put pressure back onto the opposition so whoever walks out into the middle thinks it's the right time to shift a gear," he said. Tongue also praised Brook's counter-attacking innings as "crucial" given the small first-innings total they were chasing.
Reflecting on his own career-best performance, Tongue credited his physical preparation. "I feel like the hard work I put in investing in my body and making sure I'm in a good place physically, I've sort of got to give myself a bit of credit," he said. "These sort of moments hopefully come more [often]."
The dramatic day, which saw a total of twenty wickets fall, has set up a pivotal second day in Melbourne as Australia looks to build a match-winning lead.
