- The fourth Ashes Test at Melbourne ended in two days on December 27, 2025, with England winning by four wickets.
- 36 wickets fell across six sessions, the highest individual score was Travis Head’s 46.
- Curator left 10mm grass on the pitch, leading to excessive seam movement (48% deliveries >0.75 degrees per CricViz).
- Experts like Michael Vaughan called it “unfair” and “done too much”; Ben Stokes said feedback “not the best” and “hell” if elsewhere.
Expert Views on the Controversial Surface
The Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch for the Boxing Day Test drew sharp criticism after producing a wildly unbalanced contest. With 10mm of grass cover, seamers dominated from the start, resulting in 20 wickets on day one alone—the most in an Ashes opener since 1909.
Michael Vaughan labeled it “unfair for batters”: “The pitch has done plenty… this isn’t Test cricket.” He noted entertainment for the record 94,199 crowd but questioned fairness.
Ben Stokes echoed concerns: “With 36 wickets in less than two days and no total over 200… if that was somewhere else, there’d be hell on.” He hinted at perceived double standards compared to turning Asian pitches.
Stand-in Australia captain Steve Smith admitted it “did a little more than we thought,” suggesting 8mm might have balanced better. Glenn McGrath called for 7mm: “Far too much life.”
Alastair Cook described it as “heavily weighted towards bowlers”—batters struggled without excessive effort needed from seamers.
Curator Matt Page aimed for later-days competitiveness, anticipating warmer weather. Rollers and conditions may ease for future games.
Match Summary and Historical Rarity
England bowled Australia out for 152 (Josh Tongue 5-45) then collapsed to 110 (Harry Brook 41). Australia’s second innings yielded 132 (Brydon Carse 4-34), setting 175.
Aggressive chasing—Zak Crawley 37, Ben Duckett 34, Jacob Bethell 40—clinched victory inside 33 overs. Tongue earned Player of the Match (7 wickets total).
This was the series’ second two-day Test (after Perth), first with two since 1896. England’s first Australia win since 2011 ended 18-Test drought.
| Key Pitch Statistics (Day One) |
|---|
| Wickets Fallen: 20 |
| Highest Score: 35 (Neser) |
| Seam Movement: 48% >0.75° |
| PitchViz Rating: 8.7/10 |
The fourth Ashes Test at the MCG on December 26-27, 2025, produced one of cricket’s most extraordinary spectacles. A bowler-friendly pitch with 10mm grass cover led to 36 wickets in six sessions—no innings exceeded 152.
Day one saw 20 wickets—the Ashes opener record since 1909. CricViz highlighted extreme seam (48% deliveries significant movement), PitchViz rating 8.7/10 difficulty (second-toughest Australian day one in 101 Tests).
Vaughan critiqued imbalance: entertaining yet unfair. Stokes’ “hell” comment suggested hypocrisy versus spin-friendly subcontinent surfaces.
Smith conceded excess assistance; McGrath preferred less grass for contest.
Page’s preparation targeted multi-day play, warmer forecasts potentially aiding batters later. Historical MCG extremes—2017 “poor” flat rating—show challenges.
England’s four-wicket chase—Bethell’s debut composure, Tongue’s dominance—ended 15-year Australia winless run. Stokes/Root gained maiden victories down under.
This bizarre contest—record crowds, financial hits for lost days—debates Test balance: thrilling chaos or compromised quality?
