Before today, England’s last Test win on Australian soil had come on January 7, 2011, in Sydney. At that time, Jacob Bethell was just a seven-year-old schoolboy. Nearly 15 years later—5,468 days, to be precise—he stepped onto the Melbourne pitch. Surrounded by over 92,000 spectators and Australian fielders spread across the ground, Bethell contributed a valuable 40 runs, playing a key role in England’s victory.
Chasing a target of 175—the highest in the series so far—England secured a four-wicket win, with Bethell finishing as the top scorer. His parents were in the stands, witnessing their son help end England’s long wait for a Test win in Australia.
The 22-year-old Bethell expressed his delight, saying, “It feels great to contribute to the win… My parents are in the crowd, so it’s nice to see them here. Batting with Root was like a dream, even though we didn’t finish together. But this victory is incredible.”
Like in Perth, the Melbourne Test concluded in just two days. Some critics argue that such matches send a negative signal for Test cricket, claiming the Melbourne pitch was a little too lively for the bowlers. Regardless, England can take pride in this result. After losing the first three Tests and being knocked out of the Ashes race, the Melbourne win offered some consolation. The stands erupted in celebration as the Barmy Army—the England supporters—cheered wildly.
Commenting from the commentary box, England legend Stuart Broad said, “Since England’s last Test win here, they’ve had 16 painful losses and two draws—this win is priceless for the supporters!”
For England captain Ben Stokes, the victory was equally precious. Leading the side throughout a tough series, he had faced criticism after the first three Tests. Even former England captain Michael Vaughan had questioned his captaincy in media columns. After securing the Melbourne win, Stokes said, “It feels good. This tour has been tough as a team, but it’s satisfying to be part of a side that wins in Australia after such a long time.”
However, Stokes did not consider the Melbourne pitch ideal for Test cricket. Twenty wickets fell on the first day and 16 on the second, even with over an hour of play still remaining. Reflecting on the pitch, Stokes said, “We won, but honestly, this wasn’t what we expected. It’s not ideal for Test cricket, and the match finished in less than two days. That said, you have to pick the best strategy to succeed under these conditions, and I’m really proud of the way we chased the runs.”
Australian captain Steven Smith congratulated England on their win and reflected on the reasons behind his team’s loss. “It was a bit tough. The match finished very quickly. If we had scored 50–60 more runs across the two innings, maybe it could have been different. But credit to England—they bowled excellently this morning and played aggressively with the bat. They deserve it.”
On the Melbourne pitch itself, Smith added, “The pitch didn’t really change much, though there was some movement throughout. I think it was slightly too helpful for the bowlers. No one could really settle. Thirty-six wickets in two days is a bit too much. Perhaps lowering the grass height from 10mm to 8mm could help.”
