The fourth Ashes Test played between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) ended in 2 days. The result was achieved in just 852 balls on the MCG pitch, which became a graveyard for batsmen, which was the 10th shortest match in Test cricket history in terms of balls bowled. England won this match by 4 wickets.
20 wickets fell on the first day of this Test match played on the occasion of Boxing Day, after which a controversy had arisen regarding the pitch. Out of total 36 wickets that fell in MCG, 35 wickets were taken by fast bowlers. One batsman was run out. This shows how much help the fast bowlers were getting from the pitch.
The Australian Cricket Board is going to lose crores of rupees due to the match ending early. Also a two-day test is not good for the future. Amidst the controversy regarding the pitch, MCG head curator Matthew Page has given a press conference and explained why Boxing Day could last only for 2 days.
Curator shocked after fall of wickets
Matthew Page admitted he was ‘in a state of shock’ after 20 wickets fell on the first day and the pitch was designed to suit fast bowlers to avoid a dull draw. There was a flurry of wickets in this match from beginning to end. Given that the 2017 Ashes Test at the MCG was a draw, Curator Page, who was appointed to revitalize the pitch, said that leaving 10 mm of grass on the pitch proved to be excessive. Due to excessive grass being left on the pitch, 36 wickets fell in 142 overs, which has alarmed both players and officials.
The curator told reporters on Sunday, ‘I was in shock after the first day. We’re definitely disappointed that this match only lasted two days. It was an exciting Test match but it did not last long. We will learn a lesson from this and try our best to prepare better wickets next year. He said, ‘I have never been a part of such a Test match before and hopefully I will never be a part of such a Test match again in the future.’
Head defended the curator
Page said, ‘We left the grass longer because we knew that the weather would be hot later, which is why we needed the grass. When you look back, you feel that the bowlers benefited a lot from this on the first and second days. If this had not happened then the pitch would have been in very good condition for the third and fourth days.
The MCG pitch has been criticized by many former players, while Australian opening batsman Travis Head expressed sympathy for Page and his team. “I feel really bad for them,” Head said. This is a very difficult task. Everyone wants to see someone win. Everyone wants to see wickets falling. Nobody wants to see a player score 300 runs. It is important to have balance.
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