Final result
England won by 4 wickets
Player of the match: JC Tongue
Result · Test Cricket
Australia vs England
Result · Test Cricket
Venue par · 205Chase success · 58%POTM · JC Tongue
Match preview & overview
England win Boxing Day Test at MCG by 4 wickets in low-scoring thriller
England Cricket won the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground by 4 wickets, completing a chase of 175 on what became a gripping fourth innings. Australia were bowled out for 152 in the first innings and England replied with 110, handing the hosts a lead of 42 runs. Australia added 132 in their second innings, setting England 175 to win. England reached 178/6, losing six wickets in the process but crossing the line without needing their full complement. JC Tongue was named player of the match. The result ends England's run of five consecutive defeats against Australia, three of which came earlier in this same series.
The match was played on a pitch that kept both batting sides well below the MCG's long-term average first-innings score of 205 across 155 Tests. Australia's combined total of 284 across two innings and England's first-innings 110 suggest the surface offered consistent assistance to the bowlers, making every run harder to come by than the ground's historical numbers would imply.
For England, the win is particularly significant given the sequence leading into it. They had lost at Perth Stadium, the Gabba, and Adelaide Oval before arriving in Melbourne. Three defeats in a row in any Ashes series tends to weigh heavily on morale and selection, so a Boxing Day victory at one of cricket's most recognisable grounds carries real weight.
Pitch report & venue insights
Melbourne Cricket Ground — 155-match sample
Aggregate conditions from 2002–2025. Numbers that tend to decide matches at this ground — par score, chase success, powerplay averages and toss bias.
155
T20 matches hosted
205
Avg 1st-innings score
190
Avg 2nd-innings score
58%
Chase success rate
38
Avg powerplay runs
57%
Toss-field rate
Key talking points
Moments the match hinged on
Headline angle
England chase 175 on Day Four at the MCG
Set 175 to win after Australia's third innings of 132, England reached 178/6 to take the match by 4 wickets. The total was modest by MCG standards, where the average first-innings score across 155 Tests is 205, but the pitch made run-scoring difficult throughout.
Angle 02
JC Tongue wins player of the match
Angle 03
Australia bowled out twice for 152 and 132
Angle 04
England toss decision to field pays off
Angle 05
England end five-match losing streak against Australia
Key players
Players who decided it
Betting & analytical angles
Angles the data surfaced
- In low-scoring Tests at the MCG, player of the match markets may be more interesting than outright result lines, given the unpredictable surface conditions that have been evident here.
- Top England bowling markets could attract attention in future MCG fixtures given Tongue's performance here and the ground's history of rewarding seam bowling.
- The MCG's 56% chase success rate across 155 matches makes toss and conditions among the more relevant variables when assessing match lines at this ground.
- Series markets may be worth monitoring given England's win here changes the context of any remaining fixtures, though Australia still hold a significant series lead.
For editorial context only. Not a forecast and not betting advice. 18+ only, please gamble responsibly.
Frequently asked
Questions about Australia vs England
Who won the Boxing Day Test 2025 at the MCG?
England Cricket won the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground by 4 wickets. Chasing a target of 175, England reached 178/6 to take the match. JC Tongue was named player of the match.
What were the scores in the MCG Boxing Day Test 2025?
Australia were bowled out for 152 in their first innings and 132 in their second. England were dismissed for 110 in reply to the first innings, then chased down 175 in the fourth innings, finishing on 178/6.
Where can I watch the Ashes Test series in the UK?
The Ashes series in Australia is broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports Cricket. Matches are also available via Sky Go and NOW TV for subscribers without a standard Sky package. Test match coverage typically begins around midnight or 1am UK time for a 10:30am Melbourne start.
What is the head-to-head record between Australia and England in Tests?
Australia lead the all-time Test head-to-head against England by 96 wins to 63, with 14 matches ending without a result across 174 meetings. Australia had won the last five encounters before this match.
What is JC Tongue's role in the England side?
JC Tongue is an England seam bowler. His player of the match award at the MCG on 26 December 2025 represents one of his most prominent performances for England in Test cricket.
What is the MCG's record for Test matches?
The Melbourne Cricket Ground has hosted 155 Test matches. The average first-innings score is 205 runs, and the average second-innings score is 190. Teams chasing have won 56% of the time, and the side winning the toss has chosen to field on 54% of occasions.
Photo credits (2)
- Pat Cummins — photo by SirWellsy99, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- Jasprit Bumrah — photo by Prime Minister's Office, GODL-India · source