There is a certain type of emptiness that fills a stadium when a Test match finishes, as the fans are still eating their leftover Christmas turkey. It was a mad dash to the finish line (with just 952 deliveries) as the Boxing Day Test came to a close at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the premier event of the Australian summer after only a brief, frantic sprint of about five deliveries longer than the test in Perth that took place early in the series. When 36 wickets clatter in 142 overs with zero overs of spin bowled, we aren’t watching a battle of attrition; we are watching a shootout.
The Thin Green Line Between Sporting and Shambolic
The line between a “sporting wicket” and a minefield is often measured in millimeters of grass, and at the MCG, that margin of error was brutally exposed. Steve Smith, standing in as Australian skipper, hit the nail on the head with a forensic observation: the difference between a great contest and a two-day lottery was likely the difference between 8mm and 10mm of live grass.
When a curator leaves that much moisture and coverage on a drop-in pitch, they are essentially handing the fast bowlers a cheat code. The ball didn’t just deviate; it jagged with a ferocity that removed batting skill from the equation. While we often lament the flat “roads” that produce dull draws, this swing to the opposite extreme is equally damaging. Test cricket requires a narrative arc and an ebb and flow. When the ball dominates the bat, this totally from ball one, the game loses its rhythm. Smith’s diplomatic suggestion that the groundsman is “always learning” is a polite way of saying the balance was catastrophic.
Confronting the Hypocrisy of Global Pitch Ratings
Ben Stokes, never one to shy away from a blunt truth, unearthed the most uncomfortable topic in modern cricket analysis: the geographical bias in how we judge “bad” pitches. Stokes noted, with justification, that if this 142-over capitulation had occurred in the subcontinent, say, a dust bowl in Pune or a turner in Colombo, the pitch would be branded “diabolical” before the post-match presentation concluded.
There is an ingrained colonial hang-up in cricket commentary in which pitches that seam outrageously are considered difficult or exciting, while pitches that turn outrageously are described as unsatisfactory or hazardous. The ICC graded the Perth pitch (which lasted almost as long) as excellent. This is proof that if the MCG has avoided severe sanctions while many turning tracks have been subject to demerit point deductions, there is an obvious systemic bias: that 36 wickets lost to fast bowling is “genuine cricket”, while losing 36 wickets to spin bowling is nothing short of ridiculous.
When the Ledger Dictates the Lawn
The most concerning part of this fiasco is not how the pitch was created or played; it’s how Cricket Australia reacted to it. Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg was quite candid in his assessment of the economic damage from the shortened Perth Test at a cost of 5 million dollars and expressed that short games are “bad for business.” However, he stated that Cricket Australia may have to take a different approach to preparing the wickets, which will make any true cricket fan nervous.
When administrators start dictating pitch characteristics, the priority shifts from the contest to the commercial duration. The goal becomes ensuring play on Day 4 and Day 5 to satisfy broadcasters and hospitality partners, often resulting in lifeless, flat tracks where bowlers go to die. Greenberg’s frustration is understandable. Commercial viability funds the sport, but curator autonomy is sacred. If we allow the ledger to dictate the lawn, we risk entering an era of manufactured pitches designed for duration rather than degradation. A two-day Test is a failure, yes, but a corporate-mandated five-day bore draw is a tragedy.
Stay updated on the latest cricket news and exciting updates at Six6slive. Dive into our in-depth articles and analyses to connect with the action today!