The Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch used for the Boxing Day Ashes Test between Australia and England has been rated “unsatisfactory” by ICC match referee Jeff Crowe after the match finished inside two days.
The rating, the third tier in the ICC’s four-level pitch assessment system, means the MCG will receive one demerit point. An unsatisfactory pitch is defined as one that does not provide an even contest between bat and ball and instead favours bowlers excessively, offering too many wicket-taking opportunities for seam or spin.
The decision follows a dramatic Test in which 36 wickets fell across 142 overs, with 20 wickets tumbling on the opening day alone. Australia won the match to take their third victory of the series, making it the second two-day Test of the Ashes. England later won the fourth Test, but the Melbourne result had already drawn widespread criticism.
James Allsopp, Cricket Australia’s chief of cricket, expressed disappointment at the outcome while backing the venue’s curators.
“We were disappointed for the fans holding tickets for days three and four, and also the millions of fans excited to watch the action in Australia and around the world, that the pitch did not provide the MCG’s customary balance between bat and ball,” Allsopp said in a statement.
“We appreciate the outstanding work the MCC staff have done over recent years producing excellent Test match pitches. We’re confident they will deliver first-rate surfaces for next year’s NRMA Insurance Boxing Day Test against New Zealand and the hugely anticipated 150th Anniversary Test against England in March 2027.”
The ruling marks a sharp contrast with recent history. The MCG surface had received the ICC’s highest “very good” rating for each of the previous three Boxing Day Tests.
In the immediate aftermath of the match, MCG curator Matt Page said he was in “a state of shock” at how quickly the game unraveled. His decision to leave 10mm of grass on the surface, based on forecasts of hot weather for the latter part of the Test, came under intense scrutiny as wickets fell at a relentless rate.
Beyond reputational damage, the early finish is expected to have significant financial consequences, with Cricket Australia facing an estimated loss of up to AUD 10 million due to reduced ticket sales and broadcast value for the final days of the match.
