Updated WTC points table after England end 14-year wait in Australia with 4-wicket win at MCG

New Delhi: Australia’s perfect record in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) table came to an end after England registered a 4-wicket victory in the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on December 27.

The visitors chased down a 175-run target on the second day to end a 14-year drought to win a Test match on Australian soil. This was Australia’s first defeat in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

England chased down the target in 32.2 overs and won the match by four wickets. It was their first successful fourth-innings run chase in Australia since 1963 at the same venue. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley stitched a 51-run partnership for the first wicket to quickly reduce the deficit.

The openers walked out to bat with a clear aggressive intent after a first-innings debacle where England were bowled out for 110. Mitchell Starc dismissed Duckett with a yorker on 37 runs, but Crawley kept the hitting boundaries at regular intervals, leaving Australia frustrated. Jacob Bethell also batted well on a difficult pitch, scoring 40 runs off 46 balls.

Joe Root and Ben Stokes failed to make big contributions with the bat, but Harry Brook’s unbeaten 18 off 22 ensured that England crossed the finishing line without anymore hiccups.

Updated WTC points table after MCG Test

Despite the defeat, Australia remain at the top of the WTC points table with a PCT of 85.71, while England stay at number seven, with their PCT improving to 35.18. With this victory, the Three Lions have also equalled India on the list of teams with the most wins in WTC history. Both sides have registered 35 wins in WTC, while Australia are on top here as well with 39 victories.

India remain in sixth position in the WTC standings with four wins and as many losses, including one draw, after playing nine matches in this cycle so far. New Zealand and South Africa are in second and third position with a PCT of 77.78 and 75.