The Melbourne Cricket Ground witnessed a chaotic opening day in the fourth Ashes Test, as bowlers dominated on a lively pitch, sending a remarkable twenty batters back to the pavilion.
After winning the toss and choosing to field, England made an immediate impact. Their bowlers, led by a standout performance, exploited the conditions to dismiss Australia for 152 before the tea interval. The home side’s innings was characterized by brief partnerships and a lack of substantial scores, with only three players managing to pass twenty runs.
However, any English optimism was short-lived. Their reply with the bat quickly unravelled in a dramatic final session, collapsing to 110 all out. The Australian attack, finding consistent movement, reduced the tourists to 16 for 4 early in their innings. Only one English batter managed to provide significant resistance, top-scoring for the match with a brisk 41 before his dismissal.
Australia, navigating a tricky six-over period before stumps, successfully reached four without loss in their second innings, securing a lead of 46 runs by the close of play.
The sheer volume of wickets on the first day, a rarity in modern Ashes contests in Australia, has placed the pitch conditions under the spotlight. The dramatic events ensured a memorable, if bewildering, day of Test cricket for the large holiday crowd in attendance.