Summary

  • Fourth Test, day one, Melbourne - England win toss & bowl

  • Australia close on 4-0 - leading by 46 runs in their second innings after 20 wickets fall on frenetic day

  • England crumble to 110 all out: Brook 41 (34); Neser 4-45, Boland 3-30

  • Duckett, Bethell, Crawley and Root fall in first eight overs of England innings

  • Australia dismissed for 152 with Tongue taking a tremendous 5-45

  • Hosts hold unassailable 3-0 series lead

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  1. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 45.2 overs

    Boland c Brook b Tongue 0 (Aus 152 all out)

    Gone first ball and Josh Tongue has a five-for!

    England wrap the innings up with three wickets in four balls.

    Scott Boland comes out to big cheers from the MCG crowd then prods forward, gets a healthy nick and Harry Brook takes a good catch going to his left at second slip.

    Superb work from the tourists after putting Australia in to bat.

  2. Postpublished at 03:53 GMT 26 December 2025

    Glenn McGrath
    Ex-Australia bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    Another good ball from Josh Tongue.

    The length that Michael Neser picked up, and it seamed back.

    The ball is 46 overs old and Australia are nine down!

  3. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 45.1 overs

    Neser b Tongue 35 (Aus 152-9)

    Josh Tongue of England celebrates after dismissing Michael NeserImage source, Getty Images

    Bowled 'im!

    Michael Neser's fun is over as Josh Tongue arrows one straight through him.

    Another big drive attempted but the ball nips back to hit the top of off stump.

  4. Postpublished at 03:50 GMT 26 December 2025

    Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    A superb catch by the England captain running back over his right shoulder.

  5. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 44.5 overs

    Starc c Stokes b Carse 1 (Aus 152-8)

    Brilliant catch on the run from Ben Stokes!

    The third big shot Mitchell Starc has attempted in the over, this is the one he's connected best with but it's still a miscue.

    It looks like he's got enough to get it over mid-off but not when Stokes is around.

    The England captain runs back and takes a superb grab as the ball drops over his shoulder.

    Extremely close to a no-ball but Carse has about half a millimetre of his boot behind the line, according to the third umpire.

  6. Postpublished at 03:46 GMT 26 December 2025

    Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    The tail has wagged throughout this series for Australia.

    Jacob Bethell is one of my favourite fielders to watch. He has taken some remarkable catches in his time.

  7. Aus 152-7published at 44 overs

    Just one from Josh Tongue's over but that is thanks, in no small part, down to a couple of excellent bits of fielding by Jacob Bethell.

    Two balls in a row, the youngster dives to make a stop at point and deny Michael Neser a couple of runs.

  8. Postpublished at 03:41 GMT 26 December 2025

    Stephan Shemilt
    BBC Sport chief cricket reporter in Melbourne

    Brydon Carse of England celebrates with teammates the wicket of Cameron GreenImage source, Getty Images

    England's last two run outs in Tests have both been by a bowler in his follow-through. Gus Atkinson did it to India captain Shubman Gill at The Oval.

  9. Aus 151-7published at 43 overs

    So close to another for England.

    Brydon Carse gets one to jag back sharply to Michael Neser and the ball bounces just over the top of the stumps.

    It continues on the way down leg and Jamie Smith can only get a fingertip on it as it goes away for four byes.

    Neser is not holding back, though, and thumps a wide one next ball away to the fence.

  10. Postpublished at 03:37 GMT 26 December 2025

    Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    A fantastic bit of fielding from Brydon Carse off his own bowling.

    Cameron Green was looking good in the middle, but he gives himself out.

  11. Postpublished at 03:37 GMT 26 December 2025

    Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    Superb from Brydon Carse.

    Carse raced after it, turned his body around and hit the stumps!

  12. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 42.1 overs

    Green run out (Carse) 17 (Aus 143-7)

    That'll do nicely for England!

    Just as this partnership might have started to concern them, Brydon Carse produces an excellent bit of fielding off his own bowling to end it.

    Cameron Green defended into the off side and called for a quick single. The ball didn't get far enough off the cut strip, though, and Carse gets to it quickly, turns and throws down the stumps.

    Green is well short despite the dive.

  13. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 03:34 GMT 26 December 2025

    Click on 'Get involved' at the top of this page

    That's two chances that should have been regulation catches, but have dropped short because the cordon is too far back. This is on Smith, and has cost us 40 runs so far.

    Matt, Nottingham

  14. Postpublished at 03:33 GMT 26 December 2025

    Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    Three in a row for Michael Neser - he is on the counter-attack.

  15. Aus 143-6published at 42 overs

    Frustration for Josh Tongue and England as the seamer finds Michael Neser's outside first ball but sees it bounces short of Joe Root as slip.

    Neser then drives at the next three, picking up a boundary each drive, the first and third go through backward point with the second beating extra cover.

    Just too much width from Tongue and, fed up, he bangs the next in short.

    Four leg byes end an expensive over.

  16. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 03:29 GMT 26 December 2025

    Click on 'Get involved' at the top of this page

    Well, we have stayed up through all of the first three Tests and were contemplating giving it a miss on Christmas Day here in the UK, but we would have missed all the banter on TMS, so we relented and had our Christmas Dinner at 3am along with the cricket.

    Patricia and Jeremy, Bacup

  17. Aus 127-6published at 41 overs

    Six from Brydon Carse's over as the Australia batters manage to rotate the strike nicely, dropping the ball into the gaps to move the score along in a fairly risk-free manner.

    Josh Tongue is going to replace Ben Stokes now.

  18. Aus 121-6published at 40 overs

    Ben Stokes of England prepares to bowlImage source, Getty Images

    Good over from Ben Stokes with just a single from it.

    Cameron Green and Michael Neser are digging in for now though. They've added 30 for the seventh wicket so far.

    The Australian fans clearly aren't too excited by it, though. They've started a Mexican Wave...

  19. Postpublished at 03:21 GMT 26 December 2025

    Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    No footwork from Michael Neser. Brydon Carse has a lovely bit of pace behind him and when he pitches it up, it does nip around.

  20. Aus 120-6published at 39 overs

    Maiden from Brydon Carse as he fizzes one past Michael Neser's bat midway through the over.

    Ben Stokes is going to continue into the eighth over of his spell, presumably with Josh Tongue to follow from this end when the England captain does want a breather.