Australia seize early control after Tongue five-for on extraordinary Boxing Day

Australia took a firm grip on the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground after a frenetic opening day that saw 20 wickets fall, leaving England trailing by 42 runs despite a standout five-wicket haul from Josh Tongue.

In front of a record-breaking MCG crowd of 94,119 — the largest ever at the venue, surpassing the 2015 World Cup final — bowlers dominated proceedings on a seaming, grass-covered surface that drew immediate attention. By stumps on day one, England once again found themselves under pressure in an Ashes series that has consistently slipped away from them at key moments.

England began the day brightly after winning the toss, bundling Australia out for 152 in just 45.2 overs. Tongue was the chief architect of the collapse, finishing with 5 for 45, as overcast conditions and a pitch with 10mm of grass left by curator Matt Page made batting a severe challenge.

Australia’s innings never settled. Usman Khawaja was the only batter to face more than 50 deliveries, while early momentum swung back and forth. Brydon Carse endured a difficult opening spell, conceding boundaries with the new ball, before Gus Atkinson struck to remove Travis Head. Tongue then took control, dismissing Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne and captain Steven Smith with full, probing deliveries to put England firmly on top by lunch.

After the interval, Khawaja passed 8,000 Test runs before edging to Atkinson, while Ben Stokes removed Alex Carey with a leg-gully trap. A brief counterattacking stand between Michael Neser and Cameron Green lifted Australia, but Green’s run-out triggered another collapse. Australia lost their final wickets quickly, ending with a total that initially appeared modest but soon proved competitive.

England’s reply unravelled dramatically. They slumped to 16 for 4 as Mitchell Starc and Neser exploited the lively conditions. Ben Duckett fell cheaply, Zak Crawley edged to slip, and Joe Root departed for a 15-ball duck, leaving England reeling once more.

Harry Brook briefly turned the match on its head with a breathtaking counterattack. He top-scored with 41 off 34 balls, charging the fast bowlers and striking Starc and Scott Boland for boundaries and a towering six. His aggressive innings lifted the crowd and revived England’s spirits, but it ended abruptly when Boland trapped him lbw.

From there, England’s resistance faded. Neser and Boland combined ruthlessly, and England were bowled out shortly before stumps, with only Gus Atkinson’s late contribution pushing them past 100.

Australia faced a single over before the close, with Boland promoted to open alongside Travis Head. He survived a dropped chance at fifth slip before striking a boundary to end a remarkable day of Test cricket.

With Australia holding a 42-run first-innings lead and conditions still heavily favouring the bowlers, England face yet another uphill battle in a match that is already racing towards a result.