The Ashes Recap: Follow the action from Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and England
Scott Boland has lit up the G once again to smash through the England before opening the batting in the second innings. Stay across the latest action from the MCG here!
Cricket: Australia are eyeing an Ashes whitewash - and the bulk of the bumper crowd on hand at the MCG is hoping to watch it happen.
The Aussies may have wrapped up the series inside just 11 days, but they’re keen to put the foot on the throat even in the absence of star bowling duo Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon.
Can they continue to roll, or will BazBalling England finally provide some stern resistance?
Follow the latest below, with play set to start at 10.30am EDT (7.30am WA time).
Key events
26 Dec 2025 - 03:24 PM
Analysis
26 Dec 2025 - 03:12 PM
STUMPS AUSTRALIA 0-4 lead by 46 runs
26 Dec 2025 - 02:59 PM
SCOTT BOLAND IS GOING TO OPEN AT THE G!
26 Dec 2025 - 02:49 PM
ENGLAND ALL OUT 110
26 Dec 2025 - 02:22 PM
CARSE HOLES OUT!
26 Dec 2025 - 02:09 PM
NESER REMOVES STOKES
26 Dec 2025 - 02:02 PM
BOLAND’S ON FIRE AT THE G
26 Dec 2025 - 01:50 PM
BOWLED HIM! Smith’s gone
26 Dec 2025 - 01:41 PM
BOLAND GETS BROOK
26 Dec 2025 - 12:57 PM
ROOT’S GONE! England in tatters!
26 Dec 2025 - 12:38 PM
WICKET Crawley ct Smith b Starc
26 Dec 2025 - 12:35 PM
WICKET Bethell LBW Neser 1
26 Dec 2025 - 12:28 PM
WICKET Duckett ct Neser b Starc 2
26 Dec 2025 - 11:57 AM
INNINGS BREAK - AUS ALL OUT 152
26 Dec 2025 - 11:54 AM
TONGUE HAS FIVE AUSTRALIA ALL OUT 152
26 Dec 2025 - 11:51 AM
BOWLED HIM NESER GOES!
26 Dec 2025 - 11:48 AM
Starc goes Australia eight down!
26 Dec 2025 - 11:35 AM
GREEN’S RUN HIMSELF OUT
26 Dec 2025 - 10:42 AM
CAREY GOES, STOKES STRIKES
26 Dec 2025 - 10:30 AM
Jaffa gets Khawaja
26 Dec 2025 - 09:34 AM
LUNCH - AUSTRALIA 4-72
26 Dec 2025 - 09:06 AM
BOWLED HIM SMITH FALLS!
26 Dec 2025 - 08:28 AM
Tongue gets Marnus again
26 Dec 2025 - 08:17 AM
WEATHERALD FALLS!
26 Dec 2025 - 07:59 AM
BOWLED HIM! Head b Atkinson 12
26 Dec 2025 - 07:05 AM
Richardson is back
19th Over: ENG 6-69
HUH?! Will Jacks dances down and goes to smack Boland, and he’s nearly bowled through the gate.
Does it again to get off the mark with a single that eveades mid-off running back
BOWLED HIM! Smith’s gone
Boland to Smith.
GOT HIM!
Carbon copy of his dismissal at the Gabba as Boland works one through the gate to take the top of middle stump.
Loose defence from Smith and Australia could bowl England out tonight!
17th Over: ENG 5-68
How will Stokes play this now?
He’s defending Richardson back down the pitch.
He’s caught in two minds, trying to leave as he bottom edges to slip.
A maiden
BOLAND GETS BROOK
Just as things had settled down Boland gets one to move in on the angle and wrap Brook on the pads.
He doesn’t even bother reveiwing and that’s a huge breakthrough with his counterattack threatening.
Boland gets the MCG to their feet once again.
16th Over: ENG 4-62
Richardson to Brook.
Things have settled after that helter-skelter start.
Brook gets a single to mid-wicket the only run from the over.
15th Over: ENG 4-61
Boland continues.
Brooks gets a single to third-man.
Beaten! Stokes walks down and defends but it straightens to beat the edge.
Gets off strike with a quick single.
Overpitched and Brook cracks the coverdrive but Head does well to stop the boundary
14th Over: ENG 4-56
Here he is, Jhye Richardson to bowl his first Test ball in four years.
It’s on the pads as Brook flicks one.
Stokes sees out the rest
13th Over: ENG 4-55
Brook drops and runs a single to point as England brings the deficit under 100
Stokes drives two through the covers.
12th Over: ENG 4-52
Neser continues to Brook with Carey upto the stumps.
Hacked to midwicket with no foot movement.
SIX! Stand and deliver as Brook swings across the line and launches Neser into the stands.
On the hip and there’s a single to fine leg.
Stokes pushes two through the covers.
FOUR! Stokes steps down to turn the delivery into a low full toss and pings it past mid-off. 50 up for England. 36 runs off the last four overs
11th Over: ENG 4-39
Big cheers as Scotty Boland comes to the crease.
Brook dances down but defends late after some extra bounce.
Gets a single off the hip, he’s 26 off 20.
CLOSE! Boland shapes one past Stokes’ edge.
AGAIN! Boland wasting no time in finding his spot outside off.
That’s drink a barely beleivable first hour after tea.
