By Cricket Desk | December 25, 2025
Look, let’s just rip the bandage off right now. It sucks. There is no other way to put it. If you are an England fan, the last month has been less of a sporting contest and more of a public flogging. We have woken up early, bleary-eyed and hopeful, only to watch the wickets tumble like a house of cards in a breeze. The scoreboard says Australia 3, England 0, and that hurts. It really, really hurts. The urn is gone. It’s staying in Australia. Again.
So, here is the question that every sane person is asking right now: Why on earth are we going to watch the Boxing Day Test?
Why would anyone in their right mind drag themselves out of bed, or ignore their family on the day after Christmas, just to watch a "dead rubber"? The series is over, right? The trophy is lost. Why torture ourselves?
Because this is the Ashes. And more specifically, this is the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). And if you think for one second that I am going to miss the first ball, you are crazy.
The Monster That Is the MCG
You have to understand something about the venue. Calling the MCG a "stadium" is like calling the Titanic a "boat." It’s massive. It’s a beast.
When those two openers walk out onto the grass on Boxing Day morning, they aren't just walking onto a field. They are walking into a colosseum. We are talking about 90,000 Australians. And let’s be honest, they aren't there to be polite. They aren't there to golf clap. They are there to smell blood.
I remember watching an Ashes test at the MCG years ago. The noise isn’t just loud; it’s physical. You can feel it thumping in your chest. For an English player who has already been beaten down in the first three matches, walking out to that sound is the ultimate test of character. It’s not about your cover drive anymore. It’s about whether your knees are shaking.
In the modern world, everyone loves the flashy stuff. You know, the Aus vs Eng T20 games where the music is blaring, firecrackers are going off, and the whole thing is over in three hours. It’s fun. It’s easy. It’s like eating fast food.
But Test cricket at the MCG? That’s different. That is a mental war. Standing at slip for six hours while 90,000 people remind you of every mistake you have made in your career? That takes a level of guts that T20 leagues just can't replicate.
The "Whitewash" Whispers are Getting Louder
Here is the thing that is actually keeping me up at night. It’s not the 3-0 scoreline. It’s the number 5-0.
They call it the "Whitewash." It’s the ultimate humiliation in cricket. Losing a series is one thing; getting swept is another. It implies you didn't even put up a fight. It implies total and utter dominance.
We have been here before. I still have nightmares about the 2006/07 series and the Mitchell Johnson era in 2013/14. The feeling of absolute helplessness as match after match slipped away.
Right now, Pat Cummins and his Australian side look hungry. You can see it in their eyes. They don't just want to win; they want to stomp on the throat of English cricket. They want the 5-0. And if England rolls over in Melbourne, that 5-0 is practically guaranteed.
So, when you turn on the TV or check the AUS vs ENG live score on your phone tomorrow, you aren't just checking the runs. You are checking for pride. You are checking to see if this team has a backbone.
Jobs on the Line (Literally)
Don’t let anyone tell you this is a "meaningless match."
For the eleven guys wearing the Three Lions, this is a job interview from hell. When you lose an Ashes series this badly, people get fired. It’s the nature of the beast. The media screams for heads to roll. The selectors start looking at the young kids playing county cricket back home.
Every single player in that England dressing room knows that a failure at the MCG could be the last time they ever play Test cricket.
The Openers: They have been walking wickets so far. If they nick off early again, that might be curtains on their careers.
The Bowlers: On these flat Australian tracks, you can't just float the ball up and hope it swings. You need heart. You need to bend your back when it’s 35 degrees and the batter is set.
This pressure cooker environment does funny things to people. Sometimes, it breaks them. But sometimes—just sometimes—it liberates them. When you have nothing left to lose, you might as well go down swinging, right? That’s what we are hoping for. A bit of "Bazball" spirit, but with some actual brains behind it this time.
The Ritual of the Day After Christmas
Let’s talk about the fans—us. Boxing Day is a weird day. You are full of turkey and leftovers. There is wrapping paper everywhere. You are probably a bit tired of your relatives.
Cricket is the escape. It’s the tradition. You grab a plate of cold ham, you flop onto the sofa, and you turn the TV on. It’s comforting. Even when England is losing, the sound of the commentary, the red ball against the white clothes, the massive crowd—it just feels right.
And let’s be real, we are all masochists. We say, "I’m not watching this rubbish anymore," and then five minutes later, we are refreshing the AUS vs ENG live score under the dinner table. We can't help it. We are addicted to the hope that this time, it might be different.
Maybe Stokes plays a blinder. Maybe a young bowler takes a five-for. Maybe Australia collapses. The unpredictability is the drug.
What Actually Needs to Happen?
If England wants to avoid total embarrassment, they need to do the simple things that they have ignored all series.
Leave the Ball: It sounds boring, I know. But in Australia, you can't drive everything on the up. You have to be patient. You have to bore the Australians to death.
Catch the Ball: The amount of dropped catches in this series has been criminal. You cannot give world-class batters second chances. They will make you pay every single time.
Score BIG: A "pretty" 30 or 40 runs doesn't win Test matches. We need someone to get a "Daddy Hundred." We need a 150 or a 180. That’s how you put pressure on the opposition.
The Final Word
So, yes. The series is gone. The urn is gone. But tomorrow at the MCG, history is still being written. Will it be the story of a 5-0 thrashing? Or will it be the story of a defiant last stand?
I don't know the answer. You don't know the answer. And that is exactly why we watch. So, grab your leftovers, ignore the washing up, and settle in. It’s going to be a long, bumpy, and probably painful ride. But I wouldn't miss it for the world.
See you at the first ball.
Quick Questions (FAQs) for the Sleep-Deprived Fan
Q: Is the series actually over? A: Technically, yes. Australia leads 3-0. They have kept the Ashes. But we still have two games left to play for pride (and to avoid the dreaded 5-0).
Q: Why does everyone talk about the "Boxing Day Test"? A: It’s arguably the biggest singular event in the cricket calendar. It’s played at the massive MCG in Melbourne starting December 26th. It’s a cultural holiday in Australia, kind of like NFL on Thanksgiving in the US.
Q: I can't watch it live. How do I follow it? A: If you are stuck at work or family events, just keep an eye on the AUS vs ENG live score on any decent sports app. It updates ball-by-ball so you can groan in real-time.
Q: Is this better than watching T20? A: Apples and oranges, mate. An Aus vs Eng T20 is a sprint; this is a marathon. The tension builds slowly. It’s more about the story than the sixes.
Q: What happens if it rains? A: It’s Melbourne. It probably will rain at some point. But the drainage at the MCG is world-class, so we usually get play. Just keep your fingers crossed.
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