Australia All Out for 152 as England Take Charge of 4th Ashes Test

AFP/APP

Melbourne: A rampant England tore through the Australian batting to dismiss the hosts for just 152 on day one of the fourth Ashes Test Friday, giving the maligned tourists a huge confidence boost.

Skipper Ben Stokes won the toss on a green track, and his quicks feasted after sending Australia in under overcast skies at a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Openers Travis Head and Jake Weatherald fell for 12 and 10 respectively, while Marnus Labuschagne made 6, as Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue found plenty of movement.

Steve Smith looked to have weathered the storm but was cleaned up on 9 by Tongue, who knocked back his middle stump, leaving England’s “Barmy Army” in full voice.

It didn’t get much better after lunch:

Usman Khawaja (29), Alex Carey (20), and Cameron Green (17) were among those dismissed.

Michael Neser top-scored with 35, while Tongue took 5-45.

Australia had already retained the Ashes after crushing eight-wicket victories in Perth and Brisbane, and an 82-run win in Adelaide, leaving England desperate to restore pride in Melbourne.

Castigated over limited Ashes preparations, the tourists lost the urn in just 11 days of play, with a scandal involving alleged excessive drinking during a mid-series beach break piling on pressure.

Missing injured pace spearhead Jofra Archer, England reinstated Atkinson, who opened the attack after being axed for Adelaide.

An aggressive Head drove consecutive boundaries off a wayward Brydon Carse, but lasted only 22 balls, chopping on from Atkinson in the next over.

Opening partner Weatherald fared little better, tickling down the leg side to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith in Tongue’s first over, before Labuschagne edged to Joe Root at slip.

Smith and Khawaja began to stabilize the innings, but Tongue struck again to remove Australia’s captain, leaving England in control.

After lunch, Khawaja hit a glorious counter-attacking drive to the boundary off Atkinson, but was dismissed next ball on review.

Carey flicked a Stokes ball to Zak Crawley at leg gully.

Green, after a lean series, hit back-to-back fours off Tongue, while Neser cracked three consecutive boundaries off the same bowler.

Disaster struck again:

Green was run out for 17 attempting a risky single.

Starc hoisted Brydon Carse to a backpedaling Stokes at mid-off.

Tongue removed Neser and Scott Boland, completing a dominant bowling display for England.