A fighting England won their first Test on Australian soil in 15 years Saturday, restoring their battered pride with a gutsy four-wicket victory to clinch a chaotic fourth Ashes clash that was all over inside two days.
The pumped-up tourists dismissed Australia for 132 soon after lunch in front of a bumper 92,045 crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, following the 20 wickets that tumbled on day one.
It left them chasing 175 to win, with Harry Brook unbeaten on 18 and Jamie Smith on three seeing them home for the loss of six wickets to huge roars from their travelling "Barmy Army" of fans.
Jacob Bethell contributed 40 and Zak Crawley 37.
"A good feeling, a tough tour up to now," said England skipper Ben Stokes.
"After the build-up to the Test, a lot thrown our way, to put in a performance on the back of all that, and beat a very good Australian team, a lot of credit has to go to players, staff and management for keeping the focus on cricket.
"Very proud. We showed bravery and were courageous."
England crashed in the first three Tests and came to Melbourne under enormous pressure amid questions about their limited preparations and allegations of excessive drinking during a mid-series beach break.
But they finally came good and will head to Sydney for the fifth and final Test brimming with confidence.
England had not won a Test in Australia since January 2011 at Sydney, losing 16 and drawing two since, and openers Crawley and Ben Duckett had a clear objective to snap the streak -- play ultra-aggressive "Bazball" style.
Duckett hit a boundary off Mitchell Starc in his first over while Crawley slammed Michael Neser for a six and a four in successive balls.
They brought up a whirlwind fifty opening partnership but next ball Duckett was bowled by a Starc yorker for 34.
Fast bowler Brydon Carse then strode to the middle as a surprise number three in place of Bethell.
But England's pinch-hitting experiment failed as Carse lasted only eight balls before skying Jhye Richardson to Cameron Green.
Crawley fell lbw to Scott Boland after a gritty knock and Bethell was caught by Usman Khawaja from the same bowler.
Richardson trapped Joe Root lbw for 15 and Starc accounted for Ben Stokes for two, but by then only 10 runs were needed and Brook and Smith completed the job.
"It was a tricky one, a quick game," said Australia captain Steve Smith.
"If we had got 50-60 more in both innings then things might have been different. The wicket played as expected, but once the ball softened, it didn't quite behave the way I'd hoped.
"When you see 36 wickets fall in two days, that probably tells you it did a bit more than intended," he added of the MCG pitch.
- Pitch criticised -
Australia resumed on 4-0 in their second innings after an explosive opening day of searing pace saw 20 wickets fall with the hosts dismissed for 152 and England just 110.
It was the most wickets to tumble on the first day of an Ashes Test since 1909, and eclipsed the 19 on day one of the series opener in Perth.
With 10 millimetres of grass on the track it was a bowler's dream, but a host of former greats criticised the pitch for "doing too much" and being "unfair for the batters".
Nightwatchman Boland edged Gus Atkinson to wicketkeeper Smith but the bowler left the field soon after clutching his left hamstring.
Josh Tongue came into the attack on a hat-trick after bagging the last two Australia wickets on day one, but Jake Weatherald whipped his full ball for three.
Weatherald needed a decent knock to cement his spot at the top of the order, but he failed again, bowled by Stokes for five leaving a delivery that nipped back.
Travis Head was joined by Marnus Labuschagne but he only made eight, caught by Root in the slips off Tongue.
Head was in good touch before being bowled on 46 by a peach of a delivery from Carse that beat the outside edge, and when Khawaja (0) and Alex Carey (4) departed in the space of nine balls the momentum was back with England.
After reaching lunch at 98-6, Green (19) became the seventh wicket to fall with the score on 119, edging a rising Stokes ball to Harry Brook at slip.
Carse bagged Neser and Starc without scoring and Richardson fell to Stokes with the last four wickets tumbling for 13 runs, leaving Steve Smith unbeaten on 24.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcSw3qsiUg0
Stokes hails under-fire England's courage
A relieved Ben Stokes hailed his team's "courage and bravery" Saturday after they finally won a Test in Australia, calling it "really special".
The four-wicket victory at the fourth Test in Melbourne -- their first in Australia since January 2011 -- came after an intense build-up.
They were not only coming off three defeats, but heavy scrutiny over their preparation for the tour and behaviour during a mid-series beach break.
"It's been a massive effort from everyone, and to come out on the right side of the result feels really special," said Stokes.
"There was a fair bit going on in the build-up to this match, a lot being thrown our way. For the lads to come out, stay focused, and perform the way they did says a lot about the character in this team.
"Huge credit to the players, support staff, and management for keeping everyone locked in on what mattered -- playing good cricket," he added.
"I'm very proud. The cricket was short and sharp, very tricky, heavily favoured to the bowlers, but today we went about it exactly the right way.
"We showed bravery and were courageous."
Former skipper Joe Root was equally rapt to finally get a win on Australian soil, but acknowledged it came too late with the Ashes already lost.
"Obviously to lose a series is always very disappointing, but I think it was really important that we showed a lot of character in the rest of the series," he said.
"The way that we've responded throughout these two days has been excellent.
"We exploited all the opportunities. We showed a bit of bravery today in the way that we approached things with the bat.
"The fact that we managed to get across the line today is excellent, and hopefully we can improve on this week and next
England dismissed Australia for 132 in their second innings to leave a target of 175 to win which they reached for the loss of six wickets.
Josh Tongue was named man-of-the-match for his 5-45 in Australia's first innings and 2-44 in the second.
"It is what dreams are made of," said Tongue of playing in a Boxing Day Test and getting five wickets.
"I have put in the hard work, playing for England that's what you want to do as a boy. Unbelievable feeling to win a Test at the MCG."
What they said
England won a breathless fourth Test in Melbourne on Saturday by four wickets inside two days for their first Ashes match win in Australia since the 2010/11 series.
AFP Sport picks out some of the best reaction:
"It's been a massive effort from everyone, and to come out on the right side of the result feels really special. It means a lot."
-- England captain Ben Stokes
"Tricky one. Quick game. If we'd managed that extra 50 or 60, we probably would've been right in the contest at the end."
-- Australia captain Steve Smith
"The way we went out today was exactly the right way to chase it down, you can't allow good bowlers to land it in dangerous areas. I thought we were courageous in the way we operated."
-- Stokes
"When you see 36 wickets fall in two days, that probably tells you it did a bit more than intended."
-- Steve Smith on the MCG wicket that has received much criticism
"Obviously to lose the series is very disappointing but it was really important we showed a lot of character for the rest of the series."
-- England batsman Joe Root
"Five-for on Boxing Day, it's what dreams are made of. Barmy Army were unbelievable."
-- England's man-of-the-match Josh Tongue
"It was lovely to come in and have an impact, and what matters most is that it contributed to a win."
-- England's Jacob Bethell, who was playing his first Ashes Test
"So pleased for all the England fans .. they are the best .. incredible noise echoing around the 'G' .. Bloody brilliant fans .. #WeAreTheArmy"
-- Michael Vaughan, former England captain on X
"This England team does your head in. They are so good on their day, and so bad when they are not."
-- Graeme Swann, former England spinner on TNT Sports
"There is a bittersweet feeling, and it is a bit after the Lord Mayor's Show. But you only have to rewind 36 hours when it was doom and gloom."
-- Former England captain Alastair Cook