‘Complete disrespect’ - MCG pitch slammed after 36 wickets fall in two days

Thirty-six wickets fall in two days at the MCG

Twenty wickets fell on day one of the Test, making it the first time in history that both sides were dismissed on day one of a Boxing Day Test. This was only the 11th instance of an Ashes Test seeing 20 or more wickets fall in a day, the first time since 1950, and the first time on day one since 1909.

The second day moved at a breathtaking speed as well, with Australia losing six wickets in the first session on day two to go into lunch at 98-6. They lost four more wickets for just 34 runs in the second session, well before tea, to be bowled out for 132 and set England 175 to win.

With a first Test win Down Under in 15 years in sight, England raced their way to the target but not before losing six of their wickets as well, to make it 36 wickets in less than two complete days of play. None of the batters could score a fifty, a first in men’s Tests in Australia in 93 years, as the ball nipped back in and moved out off the seam at will.

Harry Brook (59) and Travis Head (58) were the only two batters to manage a match aggregate of over 50 runs. The over-bowling-friendly nature of the wicket was called out by many pundits over the course of two days.

Experts slam MCG pitch

Alastair Cook pointed out that the bowlers didn’t have to work too hard to pick wickets on this MCG deck, saying on BBC Test Match Special: “We have to talk a little bit about this wicket. It’s been too heavily weighted towards the bowlers. They didn’t have to work that hard for wickets.

“Could both sides have batted better? Yes. But I was watching some of the bowling on that pitch and I was thinking: ‘How do you face that?’ Mitchell Starc was bowling round the wicket, some were nipping miles that way and some nipping miles the other way. I don’t know how you hit it. It’s a bit of an unfair contest.”

Stuart Broad felt Test match bowlers could even do with far less help. “It has just done far too much,” he said on SEN Radio. “The pitch is doing too much if I’m brutally honest. Test match bowlers don’t need this amount of movement to look threatening. Great Test matches pitches, generally, they bounce, but they don't jag all over the place."

Ricky Ponting, on Channel 7, highlighted how the grass left on the pitch was much longer than last year: “We found out there is 10mm of grass that has been left on this particular surface. Last year, which was a Test match that went late into day five, we believe there was only 7mm of grass on that one. That will be the question that is going to be asked of the groundsmen – why did you leave more grass this year than previous years?”

Glenn McGrath said on the BBC: "This pitch has got far too much grass on it… That pitch has got too much life in it for Test cricket… The Australians bowled well [but] it's hard to apply yourself on a pitch that's doing plenty because if you're looking to defend, one's got your name on it. You've got to find that balance between somehow keeping balls out while still looking to score."

Michael Vaughan tweeted after Australia lost six wickets in the opening session on day two: “This pitch is a joke. This is selling the game short. The players/broadcasters and more importantly the fans... 26 wickets in 98 overs!!!!!”

Kevin Pietersen, who was initially hoping the MCG wicket would be a belter to bat on, was surprised by first day’s action, posting on X: "India ALWAYS gets hammered when wickets fall like crazy on day 1 of a Test and so I hope that Australia gets the same scrutiny! Fair is fair!” before adding on Day 2: “Utter shambles and complete disrespect to the greatest form of the game!”

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