History-maker Tongue wants more of the same from England attack
MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) — History-making seamer Josh Tongue hailed England’s bowling unit for the “amazing job” they did Friday and said more of the same is planned to get a result in the fourth Ashes Test.
Tongue led the attack in front of a record 94,199 crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, bagging 5-45 as the hosts were dismissed for 152.
In doing so, he became the first England bowler this century to collect a five-wicket haul in a Test at the cavernous stadium.
The last Englishmen to achieve the feat were Darren Gough and Dean Headley in 1998.
But with England skittled out for 110 in 29.5 overs in less than a session, the pace bowling battery have another big job ahead on Saturday to keep their side in the game.
“It’s been an amazing day of Test match cricket,” said the Nottinghamshire quick after his best bowling return in his eighth Test.
“Obviously coming to the ground here this morning, winning the toss, putting the Aussies into bat and bowling them out for 150 odd, I thought we did an amazing job as a bowling unit.
“Obviously they bowled well, as well. It’s a pitch which is doing quite a bit, and, yeah, we’ve got to come back tomorrow and do the same again that we did first innings.
“I feel like if you put the ball in the right areas, which I felt like we did today, you’re going to get your rewards,” he added.
“So you just stay patient and hang in there.”
With pace spearhead Jofra Archer out of the series with a side strain, Tongue and Gus Atkinson rose to the challenge, finding movement on a grassy wicket.
Brydon Carse was wayward early, but tightened up his line and length to pose a threat, as did skipper Ben Stokes when he came on after lunch.
“I feel like anyone could have taken a ‘five-fer’ today. It could have been Brydon, it could have been Gus,” said Tongue.
“When I’m at my best I’m bowling at that fuller length. Stokes has spoken to us quite a bit about it, going a touch fuller but hitting the pitch hard.
“We get the ball in the same areas tomorrow we get them three or four wickets down in the first hour.”
Tongue was not in the team for the first two Tests at Perth and Brisbane, and called it a “dream come true” to be walking out at a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day with his family in town.
“I feel like the hard work that I put in, investing in my body and making sure I’m in a good place physically, I’ve sort of got to give myself a bit of credit,” he said.
“And obviously, these sort of moments hopefully come more often.”
