'It's unreal': Australia's Michael Neser after Boxing Day Test heroics
What's the story
Australia's Michael Neser has emerged as an unlikely hero in the ongoing Ashes series against England. The 35-year-old cricketer put on a stellar all-round performance on the opening day of the fourth Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). He top-scored for Australia with a gritty 35 and then took four wickets for just 45 runs, helping his team gain a modest first-innings lead.
Career trajectory
Neser's journey to the Ashes
Neser, who was struggling with a hamstring injury last year, wasn't included in Australia's initial 15-man squad for the first Test. However, he got his chance after Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott were ruled out due to injuries. He made an impact on his return by taking a five-wicket haul in Brisbane's pink-ball Test. Despite being dropped for Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon's return in Adelaide, Neser got another chance due to injuries to other players.
Match highlights
Neser's performance on Boxing Day
Neser was Australia's top scorer with a gritty 35 off 49 balls as the team was bowled out for just 152 runs. He then took four wickets, dismissing key England batters Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes. His efforts helped Australia bowl out England for just 110 runs in an incredible opening day of the match.
Personal insights
Neser's reflections on his performance
After the match, Neser reflected on his performance and how it felt to play in front of a record crowd of 94,199 at the MCG. He said he didn't know if he would ever play for Australia again. "It's unreal. I dreamt of this as a kid," he said to the media at end of the day's play. "Every Boxing Day I'd wake up early and my brother and I would play backyard cricket for hours."
Game plan
Neser's strategy on the day
Neser said the key to his success was patience and trust in the conditions. He noted that "the ball definitely nipped around a bit there with the new rock." He added, "It was just about finding ways to put pressure back on their batters and knowing that when we bowled, we had to be patient and let the wicket do the work."
Twitter Post
Dream come true for Neser!
"It's a dream come true, it gives me goosebumps just thinking about it"
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2025
Michael Neser on playing in front of a record crowd on Boxing Day at the MCG 😍 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/8k4GLPgGig
Numbers
Neser races to 17 Test wickets
Neser ended with figures worth 4/45 from 10 overs. The pacer had claimed a fifer in the second Test of the ongoing series before being left out of the third game. Neser has raced 17 wickets from four Tests at an average of 14.52. The tally includes a four-fer and a fifer. Overall, Neser now owns 423 wickets across 118 First-Class games at 23-plus (4W: 21, 5W: 13).