The Ashes 2025: Will rest of Australia-England be played on fast forward after two-day Perth Test?

There was a period in the middle of the last decade when Australian pitches had little to no incentive for bowlers.

The fourth Test in Melbourne on England’s 2017-18 Ashes tour yielded over 1,000 runs for just 24 wickets. Melbourne Cricket Ground has been issued a warning by the International Cricket Council for what the governing body described as a ‘poor’ surface.

Pitches have provided much more for their bowlers since England last visited Australia in 2021-22.

For the last four years, pitches in this country have been rated as faster, more flexible and more inconsistent than anywhere else in the world. Speed, bounce and inconsistency are the perfect recipe for a tough shot.

It’s worth noting at this point that what constitutes a ‘good’ sales pitch is subjective.

Often, a pitch that is suitable for batting can be described as ‘good’, but this does not always create the most exciting spectacle.

Perhaps it is better to define a ‘good’ pitch as one that creates an even contest between bat and ball.

Pitches also change throughout the Test, presenting different challenges to batsmen and bowlers as the match progresses.

Take the first Ash Test as an example. The highest total in the first three innings was 172 and it looked extremely difficult to bat.

In the final innings, Australia’s run chase, Travis Head made the target of 205 look tiny. Run chasing could have been much more difficult on the fifth day of the Test, when the pitch was its oldest and most worn-out.

Due to the fast nature of the first Test, Head was batting on the second evening when the pitch might have been at its best in terms of runs.

“The scene was amazing,” former Australia opener Simon Katich said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Australia chasing 200 for the loss of two wickets summed it up. In Australia, if you can wear the new ball you’ll score 40 to 50 quickly. England couldn’t do that and paid the price for it.”