NEW DELHI: England lastly exorcised their Australian demons, ending an 18-match winless streak Down Underneath with a dramatic four-wicket victory within the fourth Ashes Check on the Melbourne Cricket Floor on Saturday. The consequence not solely restored satisfaction after a bruising tour but additionally rewrote a number of entries in Ashes historical past, with the competition ending inside two days in extraordinary trend.Go Past The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Having misplaced the primary three Exams at Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, England had already conceded the Ashes in simply 11 days of cricket. Questions over preparation, type and route surrounded the guests as they arrived in Melbourne. But, in opposition to the chances, England produced a defiant efficiency to halt a barren run that had stretched practically 15 years.

England’s earlier Check win in Australia had come on the Sydney Cricket Floor in January 2011. Since then, that they had endured 18 Exams with out victory, shedding 16 and drawing two. That sequence positioned England alongside New Zealand for essentially the most consecutive Exams with out a win in Australia, a doubtful file that now stands corrected. The victory additionally carried private significance for key figures, with Joe Root registering his first Check win in Australia after 18 matches, whereas Ben Stokes tasted success for the primary time in his thirteenth Check on Australian soil.The Melbourne Check was notable not only for the consequence, however for its sheer brevity. Accomplished in 852 balls, it grew to become the fourth-shortest Ashes Check in historical past. Solely three matches from the late nineteenth century had been shorter: Outdated Trafford (1888), Lord’s (1888), and the Perth Check earlier on this collection, which resulted in 847 balls. Melbourne 2025 now sits alongside these video games as one of many quickest finishes the rivalry has ever seen.It additionally joined a uncommon checklist of Ashes Exams to conclude inside two days. Earlier than this collection, the latest such prevalence had been Nottingham in 1921 (excluding a relaxation day). Remarkably, the 2025 Ashes has now produced two Exams ending inside two days — Perth and Melbourne — underlining the intense situations and relentless tempo which have outlined the competition.From Australia’s perspective, the defeat marked solely their third loss in Boxing Day Exams since 2011. Throughout 15 matches on the MCG throughout this era, Australia have received 10, drawn two and misplaced simply three — twice to India and now to England. That context makes England’s triumph much more placing.

Shortest accomplished Ashes Exams (by balls)

Ashes Exams ending inside two days

England’s final Check win in Australia was on the SCG in January 2011. That is the primary Check win for Joe Root in 18 Exams in Australia, and the primary for Ben Stokes in 13 video games.

Most consecutive Exams with out a win in Australia

Australia in Boxing Day Exams since 2011