England claims victory in Melbournes fourth Ashes Test against Australia

England Secures Four-Wicket Victory Over Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground

A four-wicket victory for England has snapped their 15-year losing streak in Australia, with the tourists dismissing Australia for 132 soon after lunch on Saturday. The match, the fourth Ashes clash, was played in front of a crowd of 92,045 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

England’s openers, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, set the tone with an aggressive “Bazball” style, scoring 50 runs in their opening partnership before Duckett was bowled for 34. The team then lost wickets but managed to stay ahead of Australia’s total, eventually requiring only six wickets to win.

The victory marked England’s first Test win on Australian soil since January 2011 and came after a tumultuous tour that saw the team face criticism over their limited preparations and allegations of excessive drinking during a mid-series break. England captain Ben Stokes praised his team for their bravery and courage, saying “a good feeling” and expressing pride in their performance.

Australia captain Steve Smith acknowledged that the pitch played as expected but said that if Australia had scored 50-60 more runs in both innings, the outcome might have been different. The match was marked by a high number of wickets falling on day one, with 20 wickets tumbling before lunch and another 10 falling on the second day.

The victory will give England confidence as they head to Sydney for the fifth and final Test.

Source: Al Jazeera