Australia v England
The Ashes - Fourth Test
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne, Australia
The Fourth test starts on Boxing Day and is scheduled to run for 5 days. What could possibly go wrong?
NRMA Insurance Men's Ashes 2025/26
|
Test Match |
Dates |
Venue |
Result |
|
West Test |
Nov 21-25 |
Perth Stadium (WACA) |
Australia won by 8 wkts |
|
Day-Night Test |
Dec 4-8 |
The Gabba, Brisbane |
Australia won by 8 wkts |
|
Christmas test |
Dec 17-21 |
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide |
Australia won by 82 runs |
|
Boxing Day Test |
Dec 26-30 |
MCG, Melbourne |
England won by 4 wkts |
|
Pink Test |
Jan 4-8 |
SCG, Sydney |
Australia won by 5 wkts |
In the 143 years since 1883, Australia have held the Ashes for approximately 87.5 years, and England for 55.5 years. This will be extended by another 4 years with the series already lost as Australia won the first three tests.
Our seats were located on the Northern side of the ground in the Ponsford Stand. I was thrilled to have secured these as I only got them while we were waiting for our flight in the lounge at Heathrow! As many will know, the first day of the Boxing Day test is notoriously hard to acquire tickets for
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is simply amazing. The 'G' is the largest cricket stadium in the Southern Hemisphere and has the 2nd largest capacity in the cricket world
View from L2 of the Ponsford Stand
Day 1 Highlights
Day 3 - Day 1 of the Melbourne test match
After getting off the tram we head to the Ponsford stand
Made it in the ground just in time for the National Anthems
The Aussie anthem
Giant scoreboard in the Olympic Stand
Dennis Lillee has taken the most wickets at the MCG (82)
Statue of cricketer and Aussie rules pioneer Tom Willis umpiring the first Aussie rules match in 1858. The match took place between Melbourne Grammar School and Scotch College in front of the MCG
Statue of Shane Warne who sadly passed in 2022
Sue at the Ashes
Don Bradman (The Don) is widely acknowledged as the best batsman of all time
An iconic Australian batsman and one of only two cricketers to twice score 400 runs in a single innings. The other is Brian Lara of the West Indies
Finally we made it to the Ashes
Steve and Sue at the Ashes
Meeting my Aussie nephew, Henry Dudding in the 'G'
The 1st Day witnessed a record attendance for a cricket match as 94,199 fans packed into the MCG. It also saw an incredible 20 wickets taken, as Australia took the day by reducing England to 110 all out, after they had managed another low score on a hard wicket (152) to lead by 42 runs
Day 4 - Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test in the Olympic Stand
Day 2 of the TM and the sun is out🌞
This is the only urn that England will get close to this tour
England can do with some help today
Day 2 Highlights
Taking up our Level 1 boundary seats in the Olympic Stand
View of play
It's a bit cool during the morning session but that's all
about to change. Anyone bring the Factor 50?
In front of the Olympic Stand
The chase is on, England require 175 to win
Day 2 of the Boxing day Test
England win!
The attendance was down from yesterdays bumper crowd but still an incredible 92,045 fans packed into the MCG to witness England's first win on Australian soil in 15 years (2011)
The Aussies are quiet at last!
England chase down the Aussies to win with 4 wickets remaining. Posting a score of 178 for 6.
Celebrations in the Duke of Wellington's roof top bar
Day 1 - After a 21+ hour flight we arrive at 'The Grand'
After a quick chat about 'jetlag' we decide to hit
the night life down the 'Yara'. That'll do it!
Day 2 - The Lanes and the Yara - Day before🏏
Hosier Lane is known for it's Street Art and graffiti
Young and Jackson (1861) is an iconic Melbourne pub
opposite Finders St Station, down from the 'Lanes'
Nearly all Ozzie beer is awful but Melbourne Bitter was Ok
English lads over for the Ashes
The MCG on the River Yara taken from Princes Bridge
Refreshments on Ponyfish Island
Day 5 - Old Melbourne Gaol and ACDC lane
On Ned Kelly's Wing in Melbourne Gaol
Ned Kelly's 'suit of armour' is actually in the State Library of Victoria. The one in the gaol is a replica!
AC/DC lane was a former laneway that used to be called Corporation Lane. It was renamed by Melbourne City Council in 2004 to celebrate the band
Sue and the Ostrich
Steve and Angus
Looking up the lane
Bon Scott sculptured into the brick wall
Somebody painted over Angus' head
Walter, Jessy and Big Steve
Selfie spot
Sue and the Roos
Malcolm Young on the Highway to Hell
Boy Soldier
Pop up 'Blues' concert in Melbourne
The Marvel Stadium/Docklands Stadium is primarily used for Aussie Rules football but is also home to Melbourne Victory soccer club. The stadium has a 53,000 capacity
The view towards Western Melbourne
Marvel Stadium from the dock
The Green and Gold trams on the City Circle (Route 35) provide a free service
Day 6 - The Yara River Cruise and St Kilda's Beach
Cruising down the Yarra
St Kilda baby 😎
700m of golden sand on St Kilda Beach stretching from the Marina to the Harbour
Colin, Nik and Tracey came to join us for a wet lunch at the Hotel Esplanade
A lovely afternoon talking nonsense
St Kilda Beach Babe💞
Sunset at St Kilda Beach
Back on the tram to Melbourne
The Final RV with Charlie at the 'Elephant and Wheelbarrow'
Day 7 - Puffing Billy Railway
Belgrave to Gembrook
Getting settled on the carriage sill for our 1Hr 50 journey through the Dandenong Ranges to Gembrook
All aboard the Puffing Billy
The journey takes us through the Sherbrooke Forest, over a 'Trestle Bridge', stopping at Lakeside station. The journey continues through Wright Forest before the landscape opens up to rolling hills and farmland as we head to Gembrook
Shortly after leaving Belgrave we cross our first Trestle Bridge
We made it!
The steam locomotive gets detached from its carriages and is taken to the watering point where it is re-filled with water and more coal is shovelled in to the engine room
One of the Victorian Trestle Bridges
Crossing the Trestle Bridge between Cockatoo
and Wright Station on the return leg
Day 8 - South Melbourne Market and farewell Melbourne
Tram station at South Melbourne market
Back to the 'Grand' to pick up luggage and head to Avalon Airport near Geelong for our flight to Sydney
