The pitch used for the two-day Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground has been rated “unsatisfactory”, raising fresh questions about playing surfaces in marquee matches.
The rating means the venue has received one demerit point under pitch monitoring rules. Under the current system, a ground can be suspended from hosting international cricket for 12 months if it accumulates six demerit points within five years, according to the International Cricket Council.
This is the first time an Australian pitch has been labelled substandard since the revised assessment framework was introduced two years ago.
Thirty-six wickets fell across just six sessions during the Boxing Day Test, with fast bowlers dominating throughout as batters struggled to cope with sharp seam movement.
Why the pitch was downgraded
The match referee stated that the surface offered excessive assistance to bowlers. According to the International Cricket Council’s pitch guidelines, no batter reached a half-century, with 20 wickets falling on the first day and 16 on the second, leading to the “unsatisfactory” verdict.
The highest individual score in the match was 46, underlining the difficulty of batting conditions.
Role of grass and conditions
The surface had 10mm of grass left on it in an attempt to counter hot weather forecast for later days of the Test. However, this decision has been cited as a key factor behind the exaggerated movement on offer.
The Melbourne pitch was the second to produce a two-day finish in the series. In contrast, the surface used in the Perth Test earlier in the Ashes was rated “very good”, suggesting player execution played a larger role in that match.
Historical context at the MCG
This is not the first time the Melbourne surface has attracted criticism. In 2017, an Ashes Test ended in a draw on a pitch that offered little help to bowlers and was rated “poor” after only 24 wickets fell across five days. A year later, a pitch used for a Test won by India was rated “average”.
Under the current classification system, “unsatisfactory” is the second-lowest rating a pitch can receive.
Support for the curator
Despite the downgrade, backing has emerged for the ground staff. Australia’s coaching staff defended the intent behind the preparation, noting efforts to move away from lifeless pitches of the past and find a better balance.
Officials stressed that pitch preparation involves fine margins and that evolution, rather than perfection, remains the goal as the venue prepares for future high-profile Tests.
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