Melbourne, Dec 26: England fast bowler Josh Tongue etched his name into the record books on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test, becoming the first England bowler this century to claim a five-wicket haul in a men's Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Tongue returned outstanding figures of 5/45 as Australia were bowled out for 152 in their first innings at the iconic MCG on Friday (December 26).
The day belonged to the bowlers, with 20 wickets falling in a dramatic opening exchange that saw England dismissed for 110 before Australia ended day one at 4/0 in their second innings, holding an overall lead of 46.
A Rare Feat at the MCG
Tongue's effort ended a long wait for England at the venue. The last time an England bowler achieved a five-for in a Test at the MCG was
in 1998, when Darren Gough and Dean Headley both reached the milestone. No England pacer had managed the feat in the 21st century-until Tongue's incisive spell on Boxing Day.
"I felt like it's probably up there with one of my best spells," Tongue said at stumps. "Getting through an eight-over spell as well. Stokesy came to me and said I'd probably keep going until lunch, and that was fine. The adrenaline kicked in once I took a few wickets and I wanted to make a difference for England. "
Best Spell of His Test Career
The five-wicket haul was also the most productive of Tongue's Test career, surpassing his previous best of 5/66 against Ireland at Lord's in 2023. For the 28-year-old, the performance was a reward for perseverance after starting the Ashes tour lower in England's fast-bowling pecking order before impressing in Adelaide and now on the biggest Boxing Day stage.
"I feel like the hard work I've put in-investing in my body and making sure I'm in a good place physically-has paid off," Tongue said. "Hopefully these moments come more often. "
Hat-Trick on the Cards
Tongue also carries momentum into Australia's second innings, having dismissed Michael Neser (35) and Scott Boland (0) with the final two balls of the hosts' first innings, leaving him on a hat-trick when play resumes.
Despite England trailing after their own batting collapse, Tongue believes the contest remains alive. "It's been an amazing day of Test match cricket on Boxing Day. The pitch is doing a bit, so we've got to come back tomorrow and do the same again," he said.
With history already made at the MCG, England will hope Tongue's landmark spell proves the catalyst for a fightback in Melbourne.
