England’s previous Test win in Australia came at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2011. (Photo by AFP) NEW DELHI: England finally banished their Australian demons and ended an 18-match winless streak Down Under with a dramatic four-wicket win in the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday. The result not only restored pride after a bruising tour but also rewrote several records in Ashes history, ending the contest in extraordinary fashion over two days.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!After losing the first three Tests in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, England conceded the Ashes in just 11 days of cricket. Questions about preparation, form and direction surrounded the visitors when they arrived in Melbourne. Yet, despite the odds, England produced a defiant performance to end a barren run that had stretched for nearly 15 years.
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England’s previous Test win in Australia came at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2011. Since then they have gone 18 Tests without a win, losing 16 and drawing two. The sequence put England alongside New Zealand for the most consecutive Tests without a win in Australia, a dubious record that has now been rectified. The win also had a personal meaning for key figures, with Joe Root recording his first Test victory in Australia after 18 matches, while Ben Stokes tasted success for the first time in his 13th Test on Australian soil.The Melbourne Test was remarkable not only for its result, but also for its sheer brevity. Completed in 852 balls, it became the fourth shortest Ashes Test in history. Only three matches from the late 19th century were shorter: Old Trafford (1888), Lord’s (1888) and the Perth Test earlier in the series, which ended in 847 balls. Melbourne 2025 now sits alongside those games as one of the fastest finishes the rivalry has ever seen.It also joined the rare list of Ashes Tests that were concluded within two days. Prior to this streak, the last such appearance was by Nottingham in 1921 (excluding a day of rest). Notably, the 2025 Ashes has now brought two Tests over two days – Perth and Melbourne – underscoring the extreme conditions and relentless pace that defined the competition.From Australia’s perspective, the defeat marked only their third loss in Boxing Day Tests since 2011. In 15 matches at the MCG during that period, Australia have won 10, drawn twice and lost just three – twice to India and now to England. This context makes England’s triumph all the more remarkable.
Shortest Completed Ashes Tests (By Balls)
BallsVenueYearWinner788Old Trafford1888England792Lord’s1888Australia847Perth2025Australia852Melbourne2025England911Sydney1895Australia
The Ashes Tests end in two days
VenueYearNoteLord’s1888—The Oval1888—Manchester1888—The Oval1890—Nottingham1921Except Day of RestPerth2025—Melbourne2025—England’s last Test win in Australia was at the SCG in January 2011. This is Joe Root’s first Test win in 18 Tests in Australia and Ben Stokes’ first in 13 games.
Most consecutive Tests without a win in Australia
TEAMTESTS No Status WinperiodNew Zealand 18 Dec 1987 – Dec 2011 endland 18 Nov 2013 – Dec 2025 end West Indies 17 Nov 2000 – Jan 2024 Eddedpatik 1999 – Jan 202 Nov 1999 PRESENT
Australia in Tests on Boxing Day since 2011
MatchesWonLostDrawn151032
- Lost: 3 (vs. IND in 2018 & 2020 and vs. ENG in 2025) Drawn: 2
