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Some of the biggest names in world cricket have declared the MCG pitch provided too much assistance for the bowlers on the opening day of the fourth Ashes Test, and the ICC could take action depending on how the rest of the match goes. A staggering 20 wickets fell on Friday – the most on a single day in a Test match in Australia since 22 fell in Adelaide in 1951.
Australia made just 152 after being sent in to bat, which looked rather good when England were bowled out for 110. The Aussies were back at the crease in the final over of the day to start their second innings.
Throughout the day, commentators and fans were left to debate whether the curators had left too much grass on the surface – which provided plenty of assistance to the seam bowlers. It comes after the first Test in Perth only lasted two days and cost Cricket Australia about $3 million in ticket sales and advertising.
Michael Vaughan described the pitch as a "shocker" for day one of a Test, while Stuart Broad said: "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."
Fellow England legend Alastair Cook said the conditions weren't fair on the batters. "The bowlers didn't have to work hard for their wickets," he said on TNT Sports. "It was an unfair contest. I don't know how you hit it. If this flattens out tomorrow then fine, it's an even contest over three or four days. But I don't think this is particularly even."
However it wasn't just England greats complaining. Aussie legend Glenn McGrath said on 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."
Ricky Ponting questioned why there was a need to leave a reported 10mm of grass on the surface – three more than last year. "I think there has been very good fast bowling, there's been some poor technical batting and I think the wicket has offered too much to the bowlers. There is a bit of everything there," he said on Channel 7.
"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 question that is going to be asked the groundsmen, 'Why did you leave more grass this year than previous years?'"
The ICC will hand down its verdict after the match, and decide whether to rate the pitch very good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory or unfit. If they decide it's unsatisfactory, they could hit the MCG with a demerit point on its record. Multiple demerit points can lead to a venue being banned from hosting Tests for a certain period of time.
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