MCG Chief Curator matt page Has admitted to being in a “state of shock” after the dramatic conclusion of boxing day testwho saw England won by four wickets Australia In just two days of play.
The match, which traditionally serves as the crown jewel of the Australian summer, has become a chaotic “bowler’s paradise”. Cricket Australia (CA) Facing an estimated $10 million AUD revenue shortfall and the venue’s reputation coming under heavy fire.
MCG pitch curator expressed disappointment at early end of fourth Test
Speaking to reporters on Sunday morning – on the day when a crowd of 90,000 was due to turn out – a clearly disappointed Page expressed disbelief at how quickly the surface had deteriorated.
“I was in a state of shock seeing what happened after the first day – 20 wickets in a single day,” Page said.
Notably, 36 wickets fell in only 142 overs, making it the third shortest Test match in Australian history. For the first time since 1932, no player from any team managed to score a half-century in a Test on Australian soil.
“I’ve never been involved in a Test match like this before and hopefully I’ll never be involved in a Test match like this again. It’s been a roller coaster ride over two days to see everything unfold.” He added.
The controversy centered on Page’s decision to leave 10 mm of grass on the pitch – 3 mm more than the 7 mm left for last year’s five-day classic against India. Page explained that the decision was a preventive measure against the high heat forecast for days three and four, with the aim of preventing the pitch from breaking up and becoming “roady” like the infamous 2017 Ashes draw.
Also read: Ashes 2025-26: Ben Stokes and Steve Smith criticize MCG pitch after fourth Test ends in two days
Travis Head comes out in support of MCG pitch curator
travis headMCG curator Paige, whose score of 46 in the second innings proved to be the highest score of the match, came out in support of Page, admitting that the margin of error in pitch preparation is incredibly small. Acknowledging how demanding the job is for groundstaff, Head said it is ‘very difficult’ for them, especially when specific players are involved. He compared the surface to recent high-profile Tests, including last year’s MCG match – where India lost late on the final day – and the third Ashes Test in Adelaide, where both teams struggled despite the pitch being one of the better batting wickets.
“You look at last year’s Test match, and India batted poorly on the last day… maybe it looked like it was going to be a draw, and then there are question marks all around: are we going too far the other way? I feel for him [Page]This is extremely difficult, You give away 1-2 mm with high-quality bowling and you find yourself short, and you give away 2-3 mm with high-quality batting and you find yourself short the other way,” Head was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
