The Ashes, 2025/26 Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne 1^st Day

Phew. 19 wickets fell on day one in Perth, and we've had 20 here at the MCG. Another two-day finish could be on the cards unless Australia bat big in their second dig. The real question now is whether this pitch settles down or keeps offering assistance to the seamers. Australia will begin Day 2 with a lead of 46 runs and will aim to extend it by batting for the whole day. Is that possible on this pitch? All will be answered tomorrow as the second day begins on Saturday, 27th December, with the first ball scheduled to be bowled at 11.30 pm GMT (Previous Day). Until then, you can follow all the live action from the Big Bash League double-header. The new season of the SA20 begins today, and so does the Bangladesh Premier League. So a lot of franchise cricketing action is coming your way. Take care, stay safe. We will be back for Day 2. Cheers!:

But Harry Brook? He couldn't care less about the carnage unfolding around him. While wickets tumbled at the other end, he decided to take the game to Australia, stepping out and cracking boundaries to disrupt the bowlers' rhythm and force them off their disciplined lines. He was playing on the edge with every shot. That's the thing about aggressive batting, that it cuts both ways. Brook eventually got undone by a vicious nip-backer from Boland, before the Victorian and Neser tore apart the English lower order, reducing them to nine wickets down under three digits. Gus Atkinson showed some brief resistance with a handy 28-run contribution before Australia finally fished out the final wicket. Boland came in as the nightwatchman and suvived the final over of the day to conclude a dramatic first day of this penultimate Test.:

If the first two sessions belonged to England, the final one turned into a spicy, edge-of-the-seat affair. Mitchell Starc and Michael Neser ripped through the top order with some absolute jaffas, leaving England shell-shocked at 8/3 as Duckett, Crawley, and Bethell departed in quick succession. The pitch had plenty to offer, seaming and nipping around viciously. England desperately needed Joe Root's composure, but he fell cheaply in an eerily similar fashion to his Adelaide dismissal. At 16/4, the visitors were staring down the barrel and desperately needed someone to step up and steady the ship.:

The second session brought a familiar question. Could England maintain their stranglehold after the break, or would they slip into their usual post-lunch lull? Any doubts were quickly extinguished as Gus Atkinson and Co. tore through the middle order, reducing Australia to 91/6. Usman Khawaja and Alex Carey departed in quick succession, leaving Cameron Green with a rescue mission he simply couldn't pull off. Michael Neser looked scratchy early against Stokes but decided attack was the best form of defense, combining with his partner for a spirited 52-run stand that briefly threatened to shift momentum. That flicker of hope was snuffed by a piece of magic from Brydon Carse to run out Green, and the tail collapsed swiftly from there. Josh Tongue capped off a superb display with a memorable five-wicket haul, as Australia were bowled out on 152 in around two sessions, while once being 143/6. :

A lot has happened on this opening day. So let's rewind a bit. England’s decision to bowl first under overcast skies and on a green top paid off instantly. Gus Atkinson struck early with the new ball, forcing Travis Head to chop on for 12. With Carse off rhythm, Josh Tongue was thrown the ball and made an impact straightaway. He pitched it up, found movement, and ripped through the order. Labuschagne followed, before Tongue landed the big blow by breaching Steve Smith’s defences. Australia tumbled from 27 without loss to 51 for 4 as England’s quicks hit their lengths hard and asked relentless questions.:

Quite a remarkable day of cricket. Boxing Day Test, a record sell-out crowd marked its presence. 94,000 plus people at the 'G', the highest turnout for any game at this venue, only to see 20 wickets tumble through the day. Batting-wise, 266 runs were scored in 76.1 overs. You know that feeling when you miss the live action and catch up later, only to realise you did not miss much at all. This was that kind of first day. It flew by like a highlight reel, with something or the other happening almost every few minutes.:

0.6: Gus Atkinson to Scott Boland, FOUR! Streaky, but the members of the Scott Boland fan club are absolutely loving it. Nice and full, at the stumps, Boland pushes at it and gets an outside edge that races all along the ground behind point. Two men give chase, but the ball wins the race. After a golden duck in the first innings, Boland is off the mark. That will be STUMPS on Day 1 with Australia holding a lead of 46 runs!

0.5: Gus Atkinson to Scott Boland, Did that carry? The reaction from those in the slip cordon suggests so. On a good length, on off and middle. Boland looks to cover the line but the ball nips away a bit to catch the outside edge. The ball goes low to fifth slip, where Jacob Bethell dives low to his left and sticks out his left hand but fails to cling on.

0.4: Gus Atkinson to Scott Boland, This is on a length, in and around the off stump, Boland defends it watchfully right under his eyes. Chants of 'Scotty, Scotty' go up in the crowd.

0.3: Gus Atkinson to Scott Boland, Fuller and outside off, Scott Boland offers no shot.

0.2: Gus Atkinson to Scott Boland, Rapped on the pads! Full and tailing back into the pads, Boland is beaten on the flick and wears it on the front pad. It appeared to be going down leg.

0.1: Gus Atkinson to Scott Boland, Oh, that could have gone anywhere! A well-directed short ball, under the left armpit. Scott Boland goes deep in the crease and brings his bat high to fend it down. The ball gets big on him and it pops up off the blade. It lands safely in the vacant short square leg region, which brings about a huge cheer from the crowd.