Josh Tongue has etched his name into Ashes history by becoming the first England bowler this century to take a five-wicket haul at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. His figures of 5-45 helped dismiss Australia for just 152 runs on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test.
This achievement ends a 27-year drought for England at the MCG, with the last five-wicket hauls recorded by Darren Gough and Dean Headley in 1998. Tongue’s spell combined pace, accuracy, and discipline, dismantling Australia’s batting order in front of a record Boxing Day crowd.
Among his victims were key Australian batsmen including Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, underscoring the significance of his performance. His breakthrough provided England with a morale boost despite trailing 3-0 in the series.
The five-wicket haul marks Tongue’s third in Test cricket, surpassing his previous best of 5-66 against Ireland at Lord’s in 2023. Analysts hailed the performance as a career-defining moment that positions him as a rising force in England’s pace attack.
For England, Tongue’s feat represents resilience and pride in a challenging Ashes campaign, while for the player himself, it cements his reputation as a bowler capable of delivering on the biggest stage.
