Chaos reigned supreme at the Melbourne Cricket Ground this week. Cricket fans witnessed a spectacle that defied logic. The fourth Ashes Test crumbled in just two days. Matthew Page was the man responsible for the pitch. He admitted he felt a "state of shock" as 36 wickets tumbled in rapid succession.
Page faced the media on Sunday, December 28, to explain the disaster. He revealed that his team left 10mm of grass on the strip. They did this to combat forecast heat. This decision backfired spectacularly. The ball seemed to be seaming violently from ball one. Batters from both Australia and England looked helpless. "I was in a state of shock after the first day," Page confessed. "I've never been involved in a Test match like it," he added.
Cricket Australia faces massive Financial fallout
The financial fallout stings just as much as the sporting embarrassment. Cricket Australia now face a massive $10 million loss. They must refund thousands of tickets for the sold-out days three and four. This marks the second two-day finish in this series. It follows the Perth opener. Fans are furious. They paid for a five-day battle but got a blink-and-you-miss-it skirmish.
People are pointing fingers everywhere. England captain Ben Stokes didn't hold back his criticism. He stated bluntly that authorities would severely scrutinise such a pitch if produced anywhere else in the world. Even the victorious English side felt the surface offered too much help to the bowlers. Steve Smith called the conditions "tricky." He noted that 36 wickets in two days is simply "too much."
The ICC match referee, Jeff Crowe, holds the venue's fate in his hands. A rating of "unsatisfactory" or "poor" seems likely. The ICC will slap the iconic MCG with demerit points following such a verdict. This punishment puts the stadium on notice.
Page defended his team's intentions despite the outcome. He insisted they wanted a balance between bat and ball. "We produced a Test that was captivating, but it hasn't gone long enough," he argued. Still, the numbers paint a different picture. The average score per wicket plummeted, and no batter looked secure.
Everyone is looking toward Sydney now. The SCG curator must avoid a similar debacle for the final Test. Cricket needs a fair contest, not another lottery. The credibility of the series depends on it.
