England's Ashes tour descended further into disarray after a dramatic batting collapse saw them dismissed for a paltry 110 runs on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Chaotic Day Sees 20 Wickets Fall
The day was one of frenetic, brittle cricket, with a staggering 20 wickets falling in total. After skittling Australia for 152, England's reply lasted a mere 29.5 overs on a green-tinged MCG pitch that offered significant seam movement.
The spotlight fell intensely on the recalled opening pair of Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell, both recently embroiled in off-field controversies during England's mid-series break. Their time at the crease proved brutally short, mirroring the team's overall fragility.
Duckett and Bethell's Brief, Unsuccessful Returns
Ben Duckett, playing his first Test since the summer, lasted just five balls. He fell for two runs, spooning a full delivery from Mitchell Starc to mid-on in a tame dismissal that suggested a scrambled mindset.
His departure brought Jacob Bethell to the wicket. The 22-year-old, elevated to number three, managed a single before edging Michael Neser behind. England were reeling at 8 for 2, a position from which they never recovered, despite a counter-attacking 41 from Harry Brook.
Systemic Failures Laid Bare
The failures of Duckett and Bethell, however, point to issues far beyond a difficult pitch. In a pre-match address, England's managing director Rob Key spoke of "creating an environment" for young players to succeed.
Yet the reality appears starkly different. Bethell arrived at the crease having been restricted by management to just two proper red-ball games in the last 12 months. Thrust into an Ashes Test at the MCG against a world-class attack, his preparation was widely criticised as inadequate.
Similarly, Duckett's form has evaporated since a prolific Test summer. He has since played a scattered series of formats and averages a meagre 14 in his last 19 innings across white-ball, Hundred, and now Test cricket.
The off-field incidents in Noosa and New Zealand, involving Duckett appearing lost and Bethell being warned, are viewed by many as symptoms of a slack and directionless touring set-up, rather than the root cause of the batting debacle. The lack of guidance and clear boundaries for players has been called into question.
While the MCG pitch may improve, England's second innings offers only a chance for redemption, not a solution to the deeper structural and preparatory failings that have been so brutally exposed in Melbourne.
