England skipper Ben Stokes criticizes MCG pitch after 2-day Test
What's the story
England captain Ben Stokes has slammed the pitch at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) after his team's victory in the fourth Test within two days. It was only the second two-day Test of this series, a rare occurrence last seen in 1912. The match was marred by excessive seam movement, making batting difficult and resulting in no player scoring over 50 runs for the first time since 1932, as per ESPNcricinfo. Here's more.
Pitch critique
Stokes expresses dissatisfaction with MCG pitch
Stokes didn't mince his words when asked about the MCG surface after the match. "Being brutally honest, that's not really what you want," he said. "Boxing Day Test match. You don't want a game finishing in less than two days. Not ideal. But you can't change it once you start the game and you've just got to play what's in front of you," he added.
Global perspective
Stokes hints at global double standards in pitch criticism
When asked if he was hinting at a potential backlash for a two-day Test on subcontinental pitches, Stokes said, "It's your words, not mine." He also hinted that his feedback to the match referee about the pitch wouldn't be positive. This comment suggests a possible double standard when it comes to pitch conditions in different parts of the world.
Diplomatic response
Australia's captain takes a diplomatic stance on MCG pitch
Unlike Stokes, Australian captain Steven Smith took a more diplomatic approach to the MCG surface. He acknowledged that there was too much grass on the pitch but didn't want to be overly critical. "Obviously, it was a tricky one," Smith said. He suggested that if they had taken it from 10mm to eight, it would have been an evenly challenging wicket.
Financial impact
Refunds issued for canceled cricket matches
The two-day Test lasted only 852 balls, just five more than the game in Perth. It is likely to cost Cricket Australia millions of dollars as over 90,000 fans were expected to attend day three and another huge crowd on day four. All tickets will be fully refunded. This is also the first time in a Test match in Australia that a match has been completed without a single ball bowled by a spinner, as per ESPNcricinfo.
Summary
England beat Australia in Melbourne
England got finally off the mark in the ongoing Ashes 2025-26, having beaten Australia by four wickets in the fourth match in Melbourne. The Boxing Day affair ended within two days with the Brits accomplishing the 175-run target despite losing six wickets. Though Australia are still 3-1 up in the series, England recorded their first Ashes victory Down Under since January 2011.