England skipper Ben Stokes showered praise on Josh Tongue and Jacob Bethell for their contributions as the visitors won the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne to end their 18-match losing streak in Australia.
Carse picked up five wickets across the two innings in the fourth Ashes Test. Four of those came on the decisive second day of the match. The Durham-based bowler was the wrecker-in-chief as he ripped apart Australia’s batting line-up, making the task relatively easy for England in the chase. The target of 175 was never going to be straightforward, given the bowling-friendly conditions at the MCG. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett set the tone by adding a fifty-run partnership in no time. Once Duckett was dismissed, Crawley and Bethell added 47 runs for the second wicket. Eventually, England won the Test by four wickets, with Bethell top-scoring for his side with a 46-ball 40.
“It took courage, but the lads handled it superbly,” Stokes said. “Seeing youngsters like Tongue and Bethell thrive — yeah, absolutely. Josh has been outstanding. To come out on Boxing Day in front of a massive crowd and take five wickets — that’s something really special. Every time he’s pulled on an England shirt, he’s given everything. And Bethell as well — the partnership he helped build in tricky conditions was really important. Seeing younger players stand up in moments like this is fantastic.”
Stokes led brilliantly, both with his field placements and bowling changes. Although he did not score many runs, he contributed with the ball, finishing with four wickets.
The Sydney Cricket Ground will host the fifth Test, which is set to be played from January 4.
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