20 wickets in 75.1 overs: Boxing Day 2025 enters Ashes history

20 wickets fell on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test, marking the joint third-highest wicket tally on an opening day in Ashes history. It equals the 20 wickets at Old Trafford in 1909.

This is also the joint third-highest Day 1 tally in a Test in Australia, matching totals from the 1894/95 Ashes at the MCG and a 1931/32 Test against South Africa. The record remains 25 wickets on Day 1 of the 1901/02 Ashes Test in Melbourne.

Most wickets on Day 1 in Tests between Australia and England

• 25 – Melbourne, 1901/02
• 22 – The Oval, 1890
• 20 – The Oval, 1882
• 20 – Old Trafford, 1909
• 20 – Melbourne, 1894/95
• 20 – Melbourne, 2025/26
• 19 – Perth, 2025/26

Most wickets in a day's play in Tests at the MCG

Australia were bowled out for 152, their fourth-lowest all-out total in a home Ashes Test since 2000. It was the third time since 2000 they have been dismissed inside 50 overs in a home Ashes innings.

England were then skittled for 110, their third-lowest all-out total in an away Ashes Test since 2000. It was the fourth time post-World War II that England have been bowled out in under 30 overs in an Ashes Test.

451 balls (75.1 overs) were faced by both teams combined in their first innings. This is the second-lowest such tally in Ashes history where both teams were bowled out, behind only 287 balls at the MCG in 1901/02.

Least balls faced by both teams combined in first two innings of an Ashes Test

• 287 – Melbourne, 1901/02
• 451 – Melbourne, 2025/26
• 469 – Perth, 2025/26

Australia's 42-run first-innings lead is the fifth-highest for a team bowled out for under 175 while batting first in a Test post-World War II.

Highest first-innings lead after scoring sub-175 while batting first (post WWII)

Steven Smith took his 212th catch as a fielder in Tests, moving past Rahul Dravid (210) on the all-time list. Joe Root leads with 214 catches.

Harry Brook reached 3,000 Test runs in just 3,468 balls, the fastest to the milestone where ball-by-ball data is available, beating Adam Gilchrist's record of 3,610 balls.

With a strike-rate of 86.85 (minimum 2,000 runs), Brook has the highest Test strike-rate. He is one of only four batters with over 3,000 Test runs, an average above 45, and a strike-rate above 70, alongside Virender Sehwag, Vivian Richards, and Adam Gilchrist.

Josh Tongue (5/45) became the first England bowler to take a Test five-wicket haul at the MCG in the 21st century. The last were Darren Gough and Dean Headley in 1998.