Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) chief curator Matt Page has expressed disappointment after the fourth Ashes Test ended in just two days, stating he was in a “state of shock” watching the Boxing Day Test conclude.
England triumphed in the fourth Ashes Test, which saw 36 wickets fall for 572 runs off 142 overs, winning by four wickets. Notably, neither team had a player score a half-century, a rarity in an Australian Test match since 1932.
Speaking to the media outside the MCG, Page outlined the challenges he faced while preparing the pitch and shared his dismay at the outcome. “We’re obviously really disappointed that it’s been gone two days. We’d rather be in there (today) watching these two great teams going at it,” he told reporters. “We’ll learn from this, we’ll get better from it, as we have done over the last seven years with every setback we’ve faced. We’ll grow from it, and we’ll ensure that we get it right again next year.”
Page admitted he was taken aback by the fall of 20 wickets on Day 1. “I was in a state of shock after the first day to see everything that happened. 20 wickets in a day, I’ve never been involved in a Test match like it, and hopefully never involved in a Test match like it again.”
“It was a rollercoaster ride for two days to see everything unfold. But we’ll learn from it, we’ll grow from it, we’ll get better at it, just like we have over the past years. I have no doubt we will come back bigger, better and stronger than we have done,” he added.
Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) chief Stuart Fox also expressed disappointment, saying the pitch clearly favoured bowlers and provided little for the batters. “This pitch has clearly favoured the bowlers and hasn’t given the batters a good opportunity to get set. So we’re obviously disappointed. What it demonstrates is the really fine margins that Matt and his team are dealing with.”
“We had some circumstances leading into the Test that were difficult, particularly around weather. We do understand the impact this has had on, particularly, the fans, and obviously, one of our key stakeholders in Cricket Australia. We don’t plan for this to happen; we’re disappointed, and we’ll move on. We’ll respond quickly. Matt and his team have done it before and he’s produced some good pitches, so I’ve got all the faith in the world in Matt and his team,” he added.
Page explained the reason for his team having 10 millimetres of grass on the pitch this year, compared to last year’s seven. “We had a lot of hot weather leading into last year, which makes it a lot easier for us to control our moisture levels. We left more moisture in the top of the pitch last year to provide that contest early up in the game,” Page said.
“We felt that we had the balance really good leading into that game. This year we went in with 10 mils as we knew we were going to get a lot of hot weather at the back end of the game. We’re really conscious of flat pitches; we don’t want to go back to what we had in 2017 (when it was a road). Our grass is vitally important to what we do. We don’t get inconsistent bounce, and we don’t get deterioration in our pitches.”
“We’re trying to balance that contest between bat and ball throughout four or five days to provide that captivating Test for all. So for us, we left it longer because of the weather we were going to get at the back end. We’ll make sure we get it right next year,” he concluded.
Despite the pitch issues, the MCC chief reaffirmed his support for Page and his team. “We brought Matt on eight years ago because he’s considered one of the best in the country, if not the best, and I still believe that, and I always will. He’s done a great job. He and his team worked tirelessly to get this right. You can see he’s disappointed today. He carries that responsibility, and my job as a leader is to support people,” he said.
