England’s win against Australia marred by concerns over match duration and pitch

But Perth has always brought a bit of wildness with it. Melbourne, by contrast, is supposed to be the showpiece of the cricket year, with the nation sitting either in their usual MCG seats or on the sofa in front of the TV, enjoying the ebb and flow.

This game was all about flow and there was very little hold back. It all apparently started with curator Matt Page’s decision not to shave the 10-millimetre-thick thatch turf at the top of the pitch. Page was seen having deep conversations with Australia coach Andrew McDonald and stand-in captain Steve Smith on more than one occasion during the preparation phase.

Only they know how these conversations went. But there was no indication that Australia were unhappy with the turf for their seam attack, they just thought it was pointless to pick a spin bowler.

Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bowl for the first time in the series. His seamers rewarded him by routing Australia for 152 before the home side demolished England for 110. At this stage the Aussies were dominant, with Scott Boland eyeing a boundary off the final ball of Boxing Day. As for the fielding, there was optimism that the home team would settle in to bat. Not so.

Actually, it’s not like that. Tracking data on day two showed an accelerated pace while introducing more stitch movement compared to day one. The depressions formed in the first shot of the game hardened, creating opportunities for the balls to bounce. After Boland and Jake Weatherald were dropped early, Stokes’ double strike to Marnus Labuschagne in the gloves in successive balls set tongues wagging in the broadcasting room.

At the other end, England’s Tongue Josh bowled for the second day in a row to bowl out Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja as the latter tried to evade a sharp bouncer and swung his bat too late for any control. England began to look like favourites, as the top edge fell to bottom fielder Ollie Pope.

Brydon Carse, who was too short for most of the series, belatedly threatened the top of the stumps. His away move, in which he found Travis Head (the leading run-scorer with 46 in the match) to bowl, was so comprehensive that it brought a wistful smile to Australia’s vice-captain.

Smith and Cameron Green briefly threatened to form a partnership, but the young all-rounder swung his bat at Stokes; This was a sending off that had little to do with the pitch and everything to do with the state of the match.

That the ashes have already been decided can be clearly measured by the foldability of the Australian tail. Stokes and Carse swept Australia’s last four wickets for 13 after England collected the same four for nine overs on the first day.

Conceptually Australia still had a big chance, as the pitch was still in good shape and the bowlers were fresh. But England had the advantage of attacking the target in white-ball style, as Head had done in Perth, and they did it well enough to win.

Interestingly, Smith did not give the ball to Boland until 10 overs had passed and he had scored 70 runs. Ben Duckett (34) made his most impactful contribution of the series, Zak Crawley made 37 and Pope’s replacement Jacob Bethel made a decent 40.

These were the scores of club cricket, not Tests. In a two-day affair, they were enough for England to win their first Ashes match on Australian soil in 15 years. But this match and this pitch cannot represent Test cricket; If so, the greatest and oldest form of cricket would be in trouble.

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