The two-day Ashes Test “shocked” MCG curator Matt Page.
The curator of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Matt Page, acknowledged that he was taken aback by the Boxing Day Test’s outcome. The eagerly anticipated Ashes match ended in just two days on a seam-friendly surface that yielded 20 wickets on the first day alone.
“I was in a state of shock after the first day, to see everything that happened, 20 wickets in a day,” Page stated. “I’ve never been involved in a Test match like it, and hopefully will never be involved in a Test match like it again.”
After the match saw 36 wickets fall in just 142 overs, Page’s pitch preparation—which includes leaving about 10mm of grass on the surface as opposed to 7mm against India last year—came under fire.
Late on day two, England secured their first Test victory in Australia since 2011, leaving the organizers to bear a heavy financial burden—especially because a sold-out third day was now wasted. Additionally, both leaders criticized the pitch for giving the seam bowlers too much.
Although he expressed disappointment at the early conclusion, the curator emphasized that his goal had been to achieve a balance between bat and ball. “Every year is different and the margins are very small, but in the back of your mind, you’re always trying to provide that contest,” he stated. “We’re about trying to provide captivating Test cricket, that balance between bat and ball going four or five days.”
Page acknowledged that lessons will be learned from the experience and took responsibility for the result. “We’ve produced a Test that’s been captivating, but it hasn’t gone long enough and we’ll take ownership of that,” he stated. “We’ll learn from it, we’ll grow, and we’ll make sure that we’ll get it right next year.”
Page also highlighted the venue’s particular difficulties. He claimed that if too much grass is removed, the surface may become flat and unresponsive, similar to what happened in the 2017 Ashes when Alastair Cook scored an undefeated double hundred in a boring tie.
“If we don’t have seam movement here at the MCG, we become very dull, very lifeless and very flat, which is no good for the players, no good for the spectators, and no good for the game,” he stated.
Page now has to wait anxiously since the ICC match referee has not yet rendered his decision.
The MCG pitch would cause “hell” in other parts of the world
The captain of England admits his comments to the referee “won’t be the best” once the visitors win in two days. Ben Stokes, the captain of England, said that his comments to the match referee “won’t be the best” and that he thinks there would be “hell on” if a surface similar to the one served up at the MCG were offered in other areas of the world.
The fourth Test in two days was won by England. It was the series’ second two-day Test. Only four two-day Tests have ever been held in Australia; two will take place this summer, and the third will take place at the Gabba in 2022. The last time several two-day Tests were held in the same series was in 1912.
It was the first Test in Australia since 1932 where no individual hitter scored 50, yet batting was extremely challenging because to the constant heavy seam movement throughout the match, even if it wasn’t threatening.
When evaluating the surface after the game, Stokes was direct.
“Being brutally honest, that’s not really what you want,” Stokes replied. “Test match on Boxing Day. A game shouldn’t end in less than two days. Not the best. However, once you begin the game, you are unable to alter it; all you can do is play what is in front of you.
However, I’m rather certain that there would be chaos if that were someplace else in the world. For games that should be played over a period of five days, this is not the ideal option. However, we used a style of cricket that ultimately proved effective.
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