England ended an 18-match winless streak in Australia and avoided an Ashes clean sweep in a chaotic two-day Test in Melbourne.
The visitors chased 175 to win on the second evening of the fourth Test, leaving the series at 3-1 before Sydney finale in the new year.
Ben Stokes’ side delivered England’s first victory on Australian soil since January 2011, and finally gave the boisterous travelling support something to cheer about following a desperately disappointing first three Tests.
Daily Mail Sport’s LAWRENCE BOOTH was at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to run the rule over both sets of players.
England ended an 18-match winless streak in Australia and avoided an Ashes clean sweep
Ben Stokes’ side finally gave the boisterous travelling support something to cheer about following a desperately disappointing opening three Test defeats to leave the series 3-1
England
Zak Crawley 6
Fell meekly to Starc as England slipped to eight for three on the first day, but gave their chase an early boost by launching Neser back over his head for six. He finished the game as England’s leading run-scorer in the series with 256. For Australia, only Head and Carey have more.
Ben Duckett 5
Batted on the first day as if his Noosa video was still hanging over him, and decided there was no point hanging around on the second, when his madcap 34 was his highest score of an otherwise desperate series.
Jacob Bethell 7
Showed maturity beyond his 22 years to hit 40 in England’s run chase, having been part of their first-innings collapse on the first afternoon. Added energy in the field, and must now be given the long run in the No 3 slot that should have been his all along.
Joe Root 2
Couldn’t find his rhythm or timing on a craggy pitch, but was slightly unlucky to be given lbw to Richardson in the second innings, a marginal decision that DRS had clipping leg stump. Still, he now has a Test century and a Test victory in Australia.
Joe Root was unlucky to be given lbw to Richardson in the second innings by a marginal call
Harry Brook 7
His first-innings 41 proved England’s top score of the Test, and he was a one-man Bazball retort to their critics. He then held his nerve to see home the chase.
Ben Stokes 6
There will be no Ashes whitewash on his CV. Finally, a win on Australian soil, at the 13th attempt. He bowled well to exploit the conditions, and gutsed it out with the bat for over an hour in the first innings.
Jamie Smith 5
Still looks leaden-footed against the moving ball, but had the pleasure of being at the crease when England secured victory. Could do with a good game at Sydney to wrap up an otherwise disappointing tour.
Will Jacks 4
The invisible man. He faced 10 balls in England’s first innings, but his off-breaks weren’t needed at all. Still, his presence down the order provided a psychological buffer as wickets fell on the second afternoon.
Brydon Carse 6.5
Wasted the new ball on the first morning, but improved once he’d worked out that a fuller length was the way to go in the conditions. Also pulled off England’s first run-out in 11 Ashes Tests, and had a crack at pinch-hitting on the crazy second day.
Gus Atkinson 7
Bowled an immaculate first-morning spell of 7–4–7–1, and produced a beauty to see off Khawaja. He and Brook were the only two England batsmen to attack Australia in the first innings, he made a useful 28, only to injure his hamstring on the second morning.
Josh Tongue 8
Figures of seven for 89 made him player of the match, and raised more questions about why England decided not to pick him at Brisbane. Takes big wickets too: Labushagne twice, and Smith with a good one in the first innings.
Josh Tongue’s seven for 89 raises more questions about why he was not picked for Brisbane
Australia
Travis Head 6
Chopped on loosely in the first innings, but his second-innings 46 proved the game’s highest score, and took his series tally to 437 – a whopping 146 clear of the competition.
Jake Weatherald 1
Are there really no better openers in Australia? Weatherald’s one innings of substance in this series – 72 at Brisbane – came when England mysteriously fed his cut shot. This time, he fell to a leg-side strangle and a peach from Stokes.
Marnus Labuschagne 1
A mediocre series took a downturn with two single-figure dismissals, the result of misjudgments outside off stump. Labuschagne now averages 20 in Test cricket this year.
A mediocre series for Marnus Labuschagne took a downturn with two single-figure dismissals, the result of misjudgments outside off stump and he now averages 20 in Test cricket this year
Steve Smith 5
Cleaned up by Tongue in the first innings, he batted curiously with Australia’s lower order in the second, taking a single off the first ball of the over with only last man Richardson for company.
Usman Khawaja 4
Scored a handy 29 on the low-scoring first day, but made a duck on the second, top-edging a pull to fine leg moments before lunch. Had an England batsman played that stroke, all hell would have broken loose.
Alex Carey 5
He was due a quiet game after his Adelaide heroics, but both dismissals were disappointing: caught leg slip in the first, he provided catching practice in the second. As smooth as ever behind the stumps.
Cameron Green 3
Is there a more infuriating cricketer in Australia? Twice got into the teens, twice found a daft way to lose his wicket. Was surpisingly given only one over, in which he removed Atkinson.
Cameron Green twice got into the teens here, and twice found a daft way to lose his wicket
Michael Neser 6.5
A dream first day (a hard-hit 35 and four for 45) was followed by a horror second (a duck and none for 54 off eight overs).
Mitchell Starc 6
Four wickets, including Duckett twice, but couldn’t crack England open in the second innings, and managed just one run with the bat.
Jhye Richardson 6
Used for only 9.2 overs, and chipped in with the wickets of Carse and Root in the chase. But he was a significant downgrade on Pat Cummins.
Scott Boland 7.5
Match figures of five for 59 off 18 overs reflected his accuracy, forcing England to manufacture strokes. His Test record in Australia is a phenomenal 65 wickets at 15.
