The Ashes is known for long, hard-fought Test matches, but history has also seen some games finish with shocking speed. The 2025-26 Ashes opener in Perth joined that rare class after its conclusion in less than two days, while the 2025 Boxing Day Test at the MCG moved quickly as it too ended on Day 2 in just 852 balls. England's batting on all occasions fell under pressure, but at MCG, the batters of both the side struggled to survive in the middle, it was, therefore, the bowlers dominating through the game that stood apart for the quick decisions of these matches. Here are the four Ashes Tests that ended soon, judging by their balls bowled down. 4 Shortest Ashes Tests by Balls Bowled Rank Balls Bowled Venue Year Winner 1 788 Old Trafford 1888 England 2 792 Lord’s 1888 Australia 3 847 Perth 2025 Australia 4 852 Melbourne 2025 England Also Read | AUS vs ENG 4th Test: England Register First Win of Ashes 2025-26, Defeat Australia on Day 2 Old Trafford, 1888 - 788 Balls At Old Trafford in 1888; The shortest ever Test in the Ashes, lasting for all of 788 balls. The Englishmen batted first and were dismissed for 172. Australian bowler Charlie Turner was outstanding, picking five wickets. The Australians batted with difficulty in their reply; they could muster only 81 runs against the seven-wicket haul from Bobby Peel. The follow-on was enforced on the Australians, and they totally collapsed yet again, getting bundled for 70 runs. Once again, Peel was the pick of the English bowlers, taking four wickets for 37 runs. England wrapped up the Test match by an innings and 21 runs in what was a hurry even by the standards of that time. Lord's, 1888 - 792 Balls Another lightning-fast Ashes Test was played at Lord's just weeks before. Australia batted first to be dismissed for 116, Bobby Peel and Johnny Briggs taking seven wickets among them. England then suffered a stunning collapse, getting bowled out for just 53; Turner took five of those wickets. In their second innings, Australia could only manage 60 while Peel and George Lohmann took four wickets each. Lured by a low target of 124, England failed again with just 62 runs. Five wickets each to JJ Ferris and Turner saw Australia win dramatic and very short Test. Also Read | What is Snickometer? The Technology That Made Waves in The Ashes and How It Differs from UltraEdge Perth Stadium, 2025 - 847 Balls The 2025-26 Ashes opening in Perth became the shortest Ashes Test of the modern era, completed in only 847 balls. England were bowled out for 172 in the first innings, with Mitchell Starc displaying the form of his life in taking seven wickets. Australia then collapsed somewhat unexpectedly for 132; credit must go to Ben Stokes for his five-wicket haul. It got no better for England in the second innings, as they were dismissed for 164, with Scott Boland being very much in the contest taking out four batters. Australia made the chase look very easy; Travis Head made the match-defining century as the hosts chased down the target with 8 wickets in just under 2 days. Melbourne Cricket Ground, 2025 - 852 Balls Finally, after almost 15 years, England win a Test match on Australian soil! 🔥🏴 pic.twitter.com/vogwJAuPYV — CricketGully (@thecricketgully) December 27, 2025 A magnificent all-around performance by England helped them defeat Australia in the Melbourne Cricket Ground on the 4th Test of Ashes. The match ended within two days. In the first innings, Josh Tongue took five wickets as Australia was bowled out for 152. In response, England made 110 runs with the help of Harry Brook, who scored a gutsy 41, and Gus Atkinson, who added a valuable 28 runs. Low scores speak about the dominance of the bowlers on lively pitches, creating tension for a possible contest ahead. In the second innings, Australia yet again could not build partnerships and was dismissed at 132 runs, with Brydon Carse and Ben Stokes driving England's bowling attack. Batting aggressively against a small target, England cruised home to victory with Zak Crawley, Jacob Bethell, and Harry Brook steering them through, sealing this victory on Day Two. It was England's first win in the series bringing Australia's lead down to 3-1, thus ending a tough stretch in which the visitors were put through through the Ashes.