20 Wickets In 75.1 Overs: Boxing Day 2025 Enters Ashes History With Chaotic Opening Day At The MCG
The opening day of the 2025 Boxing Day Test has secured its place in cricket history, with 20 wickets tumbling in a frantic display at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). This figure represents the joint third-highest number of wickets to fall on Day 1 of an Ashes Test and stands as the highest tally between England and Australia since the 1909 Old Trafford Test.
In the context of matches played on Australian soil, the day’s proceedings equal the third-highest opening day wicket tally, matching the 1894/95 Ashes and the 1931/32 series against South Africa. The all-time record remains the 1901/02 Ashes Test at Melbourne, where 25 wickets fell on the first day.
Historical lows for both batting lineups
Australia’s first-innings collapse for 152 marked their fourth-lowest total in a home Ashes Test since 2000. It also represented only the third time in the last 25 years that the hosts have been bowled out in under 50 overs on home turf, following similar collapses at the MCG in 2010 and Perth earlier in this series.
England’s response was even more brittle, as they were skittled for 110. This stands as their third-lowest total in an away Ashes fixture since the turn of the millennium. The visitors survived just 29.5 overs, marking the fourth instance post-World War II that England has been dismissed in fewer than 30 overs during an Ashes match.
Collectively, both teams batted for just 75.1 overs (451 balls) to complete their respective first innings. This is the second-lowest ball count for two completed innings in Ashes history, trailing only the 1901/02 Melbourne Test (287 balls). Despite the low scoring, Australia secured a 42-run lead, the fifth-highest first-innings advantage for a team bowled out for under 175 while batting first in the post-war era.
Individual milestones amidst the chaos
Several personal records were rewritten during the frenetic play. Steven Smith surpassed Rahul Dravid’s career catch tally, recording his 212th catch to move into the second spot on the all-time list, which is currently led by Joe Root (214).
With the bat, Harry Brook became the fastest player in history to reach 3,000 Test runs in terms of balls faced. Brook reached the milestone in 3,468 balls, bettering Adam Gilchrist’s previous record of 3,610. Among batters with at least 2,000 Test runs, Brook currently holds the highest strike rate (86.85). He has joined an elite club of cricketers including Vivian Richards, Virender Sehwag, and Gilchrist who have maintained a batting average above 45 combined with a strike rate exceeding 70.
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For the bowling attack, Josh Tongue finished with figures of 5/45. He became the first England bowler to claim a five-wicket haul at the MCG in the 21st century, a feat last achieved by Darren Gough and Dean Headley in 1998.