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đ» IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE đ»
ICC makes judgment on MCG wicket after two-day Test
Oliver Caffrey, AAPÂ âą Â December 30th, 2025 8:12 am
England | Photo: AAP
The ICC has rated the MCG pitch for the Boxing Day as "unsatisfactory", with the Melbourne wicket deemed the worst in the world for any Test in almost two years.
On the same day coach Andrew McDonald urged Cricket Australia not to become too overbearing on pitch preparation, ICC officials came down hard on the wicket.
In a report submitted by match referee Jeff Crowe, the MCG pitch was ruled to favour bowlers too much in England's face-saving win.
Across two days of cricket, a wicket fell on average every 23 balls, while the Test was the first in Australia not to have a batter pass 50 in 73 years.
The venue was also handed one demerit point, but that will likely mean little given it takes six over a five-year period before grounds are barred from hosting internationals.
But the quick finish is expected to cost Cricket Australia more than $10 million in missed revenue, with tickets refunded for a sold-out day three, and day four also well sold.
The "unsatisfactory" ranking is the second-lowest on the ICC's four-level system, and marks the first time it has been handed down since South Africa's two-day win over India in Cape Town in January 2024.
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"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," CA cricket chief James Allsopp said.
"We appreciate the outstanding work the MCC (Melbourne Cricket Club) staff have done over recent years producing excellent Test match pitches.
"We're confident they will deliver first-rate surfaces for next year's Boxing Day Test against New Zealand and the hugely anticipated 150th Anniversary Test against England in March 2027.''
The MCG's ranking comes after the Perth pitch was handed the top mark of "very good", after that match also finished inside two days.
It is the first time the same series has had multiple two-day Tests in 129 years.
CA chief executive Todd Greenberg has suggested the governing body could step in to avoid a repeat of this summer, saying "short Tests are bad for business".
Australia's curators have historically been given independence, with instructions only to give their local venues "unique characteristics" as part of their strategy.
"I don't want to get to a situation ... where we are asking for specific surfaces and tailor-made," McDonald said at the MCG on Monday.
"I don't think Australia will ever go there, and I don't think they've ever been there, to my knowledge."
McDonald defended head curator Matt Page against critics, praising his performance in turning the MCG around from one of the dullest pitches in Australia.
Page was poached from the WACA after the MCG pitch received a "poor" rating when only 24 wickets fell across five days in a dull 2017 draw.
There hasn't been a drawn Test at the MCG since then, when Alastair Cook batted for 10-and-a-half hours.
The curator has already received the full backing of MCC boss Stuart Fox, the pair fronting a packed press conference together on Sunday.
Before this summer, the MCG was the only venue in Australia to be rated as "very good" in each of the previous three seasons.
"Sometimes these things can happen, but we support him in what he's done and really proud of the evolution of the MCG," McDonald said.
"We don't want to scare him off and get back to where we were. He's found a nice balance for a long period of time.
"We believe we're a better batting group than that, but what we did there says otherwise."
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