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Bowlers from both sides completely ruled on the lively Melbourne pitch as the Australian and English batters lost their wickets for cheap on Day 1 of the fourth Ashes Test. After the hosts got bundled out for 152, their bowlers came back strongly and bowled out the visitors for 110 runs. The Baggy Greens finished the first day with a lead by 46 runs.
After being ivited to bat first at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Australia had a poor start as the successful opening pair of Travis Head and Jake Weatherald failed to form a big stand. The former was dismissed in the seventh over by Gus Atkkinson for only 12 runs before Josh Tongue joined in and bowled a fiery opening spell.
Tongue bowls superb spell
Not only did he get rid of Weatherald in the tenth over, but also dismissed both Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith cheaply for six and nine runs respectively. These wickets saw Australia go down to 51/4 at one stage and they looked to be in big trouble..The duo of Usman Khawaja and Alex Carey tried to stitch a partnership and stabilize the innings. They managed to do so upto an extent and took the hosts close to the 100-run mark.
However, their 39-run stand was brought to an end by Atkinson, who dismissed Khawaja for 29 runs. Carey also wasn't able to hold on for long and lost his wicket just two overs later to Ben Stokes. Cameron Green and Michael Neser's 50-run stand got Australia comfortably over the 100-run mark, but a brilliant run-out from Brydon Carse saw the former lose his wicket for 17 runs.
The wicket restricted the hosts down to 143/7 and they would go on to lose their remaining three scalps in the space of only nine runs. Tongue proved to be the star performer for the visitors, recording figures of 5/45 as they bundled out the opposition for 152 runs.
England batters completely crumble
In reply, England had an abysmal start and lost the likes of Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell and Joe Root within the first eight overs of their innings, restricting them down to 16/4. Both Mitchell Starc and Michael Neser racked up two wickets each as Australia got off to an incredible start. Harry Brook and Ben Stokes tried to stabilize the innings, but their 50-run stand wasn't enough and Scott Boland would eventually get the breakthrough by dismissing the former for 41.
Boland then went on to get the wickets of Jamie Smith and Will Jackks as the Three Lions went down to 77/7. To make matters worse, Neser would get the massive scalp of Stokes in the very next over. He went on to complete his 4-fer by getting rid of Brydon Carse for four as England went nine wickets down with just 91 runs on the board. Atkinson tried his best to get the side as close as he could to the opposition's total, but Green eventually sent him back to the pavilion for 28 runs as England got bowled out for 110. The Aussies wrapped up the day's play on 4/0 and lead by 46 runs heading into the second day.
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