Ashes 4th Test: Tongue's fifer ends Australia's first innings for 152 runs at MCG (Day 1, Tea)

Melbourne [Australia], December 26 (ANI): A five-wicket haul from pacer Josh Tongue and overall, a brilliant display of pace bowling from a ruthless, wounded England team ended Australia's first innings at just 152 runs in 45.2 overs to start off the fourth Ashes Test, a Boxing Day affair, at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday.
Having already lost the Ashes series, England still have something to play for, as they have yet to end their 18-match winless streak in Australia since their series win in the 2010/11 season. With Tongue replacing an injured Jofra Archer, the English bowling produced the accuracy, relentlessness and venom consistently, something that their die-hard supporters had only witnessed in patches throughout the series.
At the start of session one, Australia was 72/4, with Usman Khawaja (21*) and Alex Carey (9*) unbeaten.
Khawaja started off the session with a silky drive against Gus Atkinson, but soon became his second victim after nicking the ball to Jamie Smith behind the stumps. England took a successful review, sending back the Aussie veteran for a 52-ball 29. Australia was five wickets down for 89 runs in 28.5 overs.
In a battle of England's 'Miracle Machine' skipper Ben Stokes and Australia's 'crisis man' Carey, it was the English skipper who reigned supreme, with an assist from Zak Crawley at leg slip. Carey was gone for 35-ball 20. Australia was 91/6 in 31.2 overs and looked in grave peril.
The all-rounder pair of Cameron Green and Michael Neser took Australia to the 100-run mark in 35.5 overs.
Green looked in imperious touch, getting two successive boundaries against Josh Tongue, with one being a crunching pull shot heard everywhere. Neser also got a couple of boundaries against fours. After gaining his touch, Neser belted Tongue for a hat-trick of boundaries. The duo brought up their 50-run partnership in 64 balls.
However, a lightning-quick run out from Brydon Carse ended the counter-attack, removing Green for a 34-ball 17. Australia was seven down for 143, with a 52-run stand gone. Skipper Stokes also took a tough catch near mid-off to give Brydon Carse his first wicket of the day, sending back Starc for just one. Tongue knocked out Neser's middle-stump to get his fourth, sending back the all-rounder for a 49-ball 35, with seven fours. England was making merry with Australia at 152/9 in 45.1 overs.
Tongue got Scott Boland caught by Harry Brook, getting a five-wicket haul on the Boxing Day Test, ending with figures of 5/45 in 11.2 overs. Australia was all out for 152 runs. Atkinson got 2/28 in 14 overs while Stokes and Carse got one each.
At the end of session one, Australia was 72/4, with Khawaja (21*) and Carey (9*) unbeaten.
England won the toss and opted to bowl first, with Aussie openers Travis Head and Jake Weatherald coming out to bat.
The batting duo started off cautiously against Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse. In the sixth over, Australia released some pressure, with Head getting two successive boundaries against Carse, one being an elegant cover drive, and Weatherland ended the over with another cover drive for four, getting 15 runs off the over.
Atkinson earned England their first breakthrough, with Head chopping on a delivery angling across him into his stumps. Head was gone for 22-ball 12, with Australia on 27/1 in 5.1 overs.
From the ninth over, Josh Tongue started his spell of horror for the Aussies, with Weatherald strangled down the leg side and caught by keeper Jamie Smith for a 23-ball 10. Australia slipped to 31/2 in nine overs.
It was the Boxing Day Test and England, who had failed to secure the Ashes, were not holding back with their punches as Tongue got Marnus Labuschagne (6) and Steve Smith (5) in quick succession, leaving Aussies in disarray at 51/4 in 19.2 overs, with the cream of Aussie batting sitting in the pavillion barely an hour into the Test match.
The left-handed batting pair of Carey and Khawaja managed to see Australia through the remainder of the session.
Brief Scores: Australia: 152 (Michael Neser 35, Usman Khawaja 29, Josh Tongue 5/45) vs England. (ANI)