MCG Pitch Rated Unsatisfactory After Two-Day Ashes Test, Venue Handed Demerit Point

The pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which hosted the fourth Test of the Ashes series, has been officially rated “Unsatisfactory” under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, resulting in the iconic venue receiving one demerit point.

The assessment was delivered by Jeff Crowe, a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, who explained that the surface offered excessive assistance to bowlers and failed to provide a fair balance between bat and ball.

“The MCG pitch heavily favoured the bowlers,” Crowe said. “With 20 wickets falling on the opening day, 16 more on day two and no batter managing to score a half-century, the pitch did not meet the ICC guidelines and has therefore been rated ‘Unsatisfactory,’ resulting in one demerit point for the venue.”

Match Summary

After winning the toss, England chose to bowl first, immediately exploiting the lively conditions with an aggressive pace attack. Josh Tongue led the charge with impressive figures of 5 for 45, as Australia were bundled out for 152 in their first innings.

England, however, found the conditions equally challenging and failed to capitalise fully, being dismissed for 110 within 30 overs.

Australia were forced to begin their second innings on the opening day, contributing to a dramatic contest that saw 20 wickets fall on day one alone. The collapse continued on the second day, with Australia managing 132, aided by Travis Head’s 46, which turned out to be the highest individual score of the match.

England chased down the modest target in 32.2 overs, losing six wickets in the process. Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell made important contributions to guide the visitors home.

Record-Breaking Short Test

The fourth Ashes Test concluded in just two days, with a staggering 36 wickets falling across 142 overs. Remarkably, no batter reached the 50-run mark, underlining the extreme nature of the pitch conditions.

While England celebrated their first Test victory on Australian soil since 2011, the result did little to change the overall series picture. Australia had already retained the Ashes by winning the first three Tests, taking an unassailable 3–0 lead.

The final Test of the series is scheduled to be played in Sydney, beginning on January 4.