MELBOURNE: one of the most remarkable finishes in recent Ashes history, England overcame Australia by four wickets in the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, ending a 14-year wait for a Test win on Australian soil. The contest, played over just two chaotic days amid bowler-friendly conditions, provided a rare high point for the tourists on an otherwise difficult tour.

Chasing a modest target of 175 runs, England’s chase was far from straightforward on a pitch that offered significant lateral movement and relentless seam bowling. Zak Crawley (37) and Ben Duckett (34) gave the visitors a blistering start, racing to a 51-run opening stand at better than seven runs an over before Duckett was dismissed by Mitchell Starc.

The middle order oscillated between promise and peril. Joe Root was trapped lbw for 15, and captain Ben Stokes fell for two after a wild swing left England precariously placed at 165 for six—just ten runs shy of victory and tension mounting among the Barmy Army in the stands.

Twenty-two-year-old Jacob Bethell, playing only his fifth Test, anchored England’s innings with a composed 40 off 46 balls, blunting Australia’s attack and keeping the chase alive. With the total shrinking, Harry Brook (18) and Jamie Smith (3) held their nerve to guide England over the line, the winning runs coming as a stroke-of-luck leg-bye off Starc.

England’s bowlers set the platform early by dismissing Australia for 132 in their second innings, the hosts collapsing from a strong position thanks to incisive spells from Brydon Carse (4-34) and Stokes (3-24). Josh Tongue’s earlier contributions with the ball earned him player of the match honours.

Despite the jubilant scenes among the English contingent, the match was not without controversy. With 36 wickets falling in under 80 overs across both innings, critics questioned the quality of the surface at the MCG, with some calling it “bowler-friendly to a fault” and lamenting the spectacle delivered to a near-sell-out crowd.

Although Australia retained the Ashes with a 3–1 series lead, England will depart Melbourne with restored pride and momentum ahead of the final Test in Sydney. For Stokes and his men, this win wasn’t just about avoiding a whitewash—it was a much-needed morale boost and a historic break in an enduring Ashes curse.

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