Ashes 2025-26: Ben Stokes says there would be ‘hell on’ if MCG pitch for England win over Australia was produced elsewhere in the world
Before the Test, Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith described the pitch as “shaggy and green” and said “batsmen need to be on their game”.
Speaking after his team’s defeat, Smith said he was “not sure” why MCG chief curator Matthew Page had chosen to leave so much grass on the pitch for the Boxing Day Test, a major event in the Australian sporting calendar. Page will speak to the media on Sunday.
“We let them judge it and do as they see fit,” Smith said.
“I said before the game that he looked like he was going to offer a fair amount and he probably did more than we thought.
“It’s difficult for a fielder to always look for the right balance. Maybe if he had gone from 10mm to eight it would have been a nice, challenging wicket, maybe a little more even. Fielders are always learning and maybe he’ll take something from that.”
Former England captain Michael Vaughan criticized the MCG pitch after the first day, saying it “did too much” and the result was an “unfair” contest between bat and ball.
Grounds and away grounds that host international matches are given a rating by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Following the 2017 Ashes Test at this ground, the MCG ground was given a “poor” rating for being too friendly for batting. Only 24 wickets fell in the entire Test, with England’s Alastair Cook posting an unbeaten score of 244.
On this occasion, England batsman Joe Root, who also played in 2017, said that this pitch was “tough” to bat on.
“The debate is: was bat vs ball too one-sided? People are better qualified to judge that,” Root said. “It was definitely challenging for me.
“You have a world-class offense and the ball moves a significant amount. Your job is to be on the right side of the result.”
