Josh Tongue announced himself on the world stage in spectacular fashion, becoming the first England bowler of this century to claim a five-wicket haul in a men’s Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on Friday (December 26).
Josh Tongue Takes Stunning Five-Wicket Haul To Script History at MCG
England finally had a moment to celebrate at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), and it came through a stunning effort from Josh Tongue on a day full of drama in the ongoing Boxing Day Test of the Ashes 2025-26 against Australia.
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With the Ashes series already slipping away at 3-0, England badly needed something special, and Tongue delivered exactly that. The fast bowler ran through Australia’s batting order and finished with excellent figures of 5/45, and helped England bowl Australia out for just 152 in their first innings in the ongoing fourth Ashes Test at the MCG.
Breaking the Drought: The Historical Significance of 5/45
In doing so, Tongue achieved something no England bowler has managed at the MCG in men’s Test cricket in this century. It was a rare achievement for England at this famous venue. Tongue’s heroics ended a 27-year wait for an English five-wicket haul at the iconic MCG.
The last to achieve the feat were Darren Gough (5/96) and Dean Headley (6/60) during England’s famous 12-run win in 1998. Nearly three decades later, Tongue joined the rare club on Friday.
This performance also marked the best spell of Josh Tongue’s Test career. He surpassed his previous best of 5/66 against Ireland at Lord’s earlier in 2023 and showed great control throughout the day.
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The 25-year-old Worcestershire seamer produced a blistering spell of fast bowling, exploiting the MCG conditions with precision and pace. His landmark moment came when he dismissed Scott Boland after clean-bowling Michael Neser, as the Englishman completed his third Test five-for and etched his name alongside English greats.
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Australia never looked comfortable after choosing to bat first, as Tongue’s impact was immediate. The Englishman removed three of Australia’s top three batters, including Jake Weatherald (10), Marnus Labuschagne (6), and Steve Smith (9), in a devastating morning session.
After lunch, Usman Khawaja was sent back following a successful review. Alex Carey tried to fight back but was caught at leg slip, while Cameron Green’s innings ended in disappointment when he was run out just as batting conditions started to ease. Then, the Englishman returned to wrap up the tail with clinical efficiency and complete his five-wicket haul.
England’s Ashes Woes in Australia Worsen
Despite Tongue’s heroics, England failed to build on the advantage with the bat. Their lineup collapsed quickly, and they were bowled out for just 110, allowing Australia to take a crucial 42-run lead. Harry Brook was the only batter who looked comfortable and was the top scorer with 41 runs, while number nine Gus Atkinson chipped in with 28 in the ongoing fourth Ashes Test.
England’s batting collapse has added another unwanted chapter to their Ashes history away from home. This collapse now goes down as England’s third lowest all-out total in an away Ashes Test since 2000. Only two innings have been worse in that period.
Back in 2021, England were bundled out for a miserable 68 at the same Melbourne ground, and in 2002, they could only manage 79 at the Gabba.
