‘The pitch is doing quite a bit’: Tongue revels in five-fer and defends England batting approach

Josh Tongue was England’s star performer with career-best figures of five for 45 as the tourists dismissed Australia for 152. Photograph: Morgan Hancock/CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

England may have been bowled out for 110 in Melbourne, another revolution of the unceasing wheel of pain that is the current Ashes tour, but for Josh Tongue day one of the fourth Test was also a career high.

“Dreams come true,” Tongue said at the end of a day when 20 wickets fell, five of them to him in Australia’s first innings. “I’ve always wanted to play in the Ashes, if it’s home or away, and this obviously feels very special. Being here at the MCG with all my family in as well makes it even better.”