England opener Ben Duckett reached 3,000 Test runs on Saturday. The 31-year-old left-handed batsman achieved this milestone during England’s fourth Ashes Test, held on Boxing Day at Melbourne.
In pursuit of a modest target of 175 runs, Duckett crossed the 30-run mark for the first time in the series, scoring 34 off 26 balls, which included four boundaries and a six, at a strike rate of 130.77.
In 42 Tests, Duckett has amassed 3,005 runs at an average of 40.06 and a strike rate of 86.44, with six centuries and 16 fifties in 78 innings, and a best score of 182.
However, in the ongoing Ashes series, Duckett’s performance has been below par, with just 133 runs in eight innings across four Tests at an average of 16.62, and a highest score of 34.
His off-field controversies have compounded his struggles, as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is investigating a video purportedly showing him inebriated and struggling to return to the team hotel during a break in Noosa after a heavy defeat in the second Test at Brisbane.
England Make History!
England broke an 18-match winless streak in Australia by defeating the home side by four wickets in the fourth Ashes test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.
Having lost the first three tests, England allowed Australia to retain the Ashes within just 11 days of play in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide.
However, England turned the tables by winning the MCG Test on Saturday inside two days, mirroring Australia’s quick victory in Perth.
This series marked the first occurrence of multiple two-day Tests in 129 years.
England’s last win in Australia dated back to the 2013-14 Ashes series, which Australia won 5-0. Since England’s 3-1 victory in the 2010-11 Ashes, they had lost 16 matches and drawn the other two of their 18 Tests Down Under over nearly 15 years.
Needing 175 second-innings runs to win and 98 after the tea break, England reached their target at 178-6 to secure the match.