Joe Root praised England’s resilience and courage with the bat after securing their first Test win in Australia since 2011 by defeating Australia by four wickets in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
This win also marks England’s first Test series victory in Australia since January 2011 at the SCG. Joe Root achieved his first Test win on Australian soil in 18 matches, while skipper Ben Stokes celebrated his first win in Australia after 13 Tests.
After the match, Root highlighted the team’s character, stating, “There’s been a lot thrown at this team… clearly it was a very fast-forward Test match with the surface we were presented with but I think we adapted to it as much as we could and exploited it when we got the opportunities.”
The fourth Ashes Test match concluded in under two days as England successfully chased down 175 runs in just 32.2 overs on day two. Despite this victory, the Ashes trophy remains out of reach for England.
Choosing to bowl first on a grass-covered pitch, England’s decision paid off as Josh Tongue led the bowling attack, taking five wickets to dismiss Australia for 152 in their first innings. Australia fought back strongly, bowling out England for 110 runs in their first innings, taking a 42-run lead into the second innings.
Australia seemed in control until Brydon Crase’s breakthrough wicket of Travis Head sparked a collapse, with Australia losing four wickets for 37 runs. England’s positive approach with the bat, led by Duckett and Crawley, ensured victory, with Jacob Bethell’s 40 and Harry Brook’s unbeaten 18 guiding England to success.
Root acknowledged the team’s bravery in their batting approach, emphasizing, “We showed a bit of bravery today with the way we approached things with the bat, and that’s why we won the Test match.”
The series now shifts to Sydney for the fifth and final Test starting from January 4.
