Tongue breaks 27-year drought with Boxing Day bonanza

By Jonathan Healy, at the MCG

Right-arm pacer Josh Tongue created history at the Boxing Day Test on Friday when he became the first England bowler this century to collect a five-wicket haul in Men's Tests at the MCG.

Tongue picked up superb figures of 5/45 during Australia's first innings of just 152, with his efforts putting England in a strong position at tea on the opening day's play in the fourth Test.

It was the first time an England bowler had claimed a five-wicket haul in a Test at the MCG since Darren Gough and Dean Headley did so in 1998, with Tongue breaking a 27-year drought as the tourists breathed life into an Ashes series that Australia have already clinched.

The spell was also Tongue's most productive in Test cricket, surpassing his previous best effort of 5/66 against Ireland at Lord's in 2023.

Tongue will be on a hat-trick during Australia's second innings, with the right-armer dismissing Michael Neser (35) and Scott Boland (0) with the final two balls of the hosts' innings.

Neser top-scored for the Aussies after winning a recall to the XI to replace skipper Pat Cummins, with veteran left-hander Usman Khawaja (29) the only other batter to surpass 20.

Australia XI: Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Scott Boland

England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue

Ashes schedule:

First Test: Perth Stadium, November 21-22 (Australia won by eight wickets)
Second Test: Gabba, December 4-7 (Australia won by eight wickets)
Third Test: Adelaide Oval, December 17-21 (Australia won by 82 runs)
Fourth Test: MCG, December 26-30
Fifth Test: SCG, January 4-8