Melbourne [Australia], December 27 : Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith reflected on the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) pitch that saw the Boxing Day Ashes Test between Australia and England get over in just two days, with 36 wickets falling. He called the pitch a "tricky one" and said that it offered a bit too much to the bowlers.
England defeated Australia by four wickets in the fourth Ashes Test at MCG, registering their first victory on the tour as the five-match series now stands at 3-1, with Australia already having pocketed the Ashes. In the match, England opted to bowl first. Josh Tongue's five-wicket haul helped bowl Australia out for 152 before England collapsed to 110, trailing by 42. Australia then struggled again on a difficult pitch, managing just 132 in their second innings, setting England a target of 175. England's chase was steadied by solid partnerships at the top, and despite a late wobble, Harry Brook and Jamie Smith saw them home to a memorable four-wicket victory.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Steve Smith said the pitch was difficult and offered too much for bowlers, noting that 36 wickets in two days showed it lacked balance. While acknowledging the challenge for groundsmen, he felt a slightly flatter surface could have made the contest more even. He added that the groundsman will likely take lessons from the conditions in the Boxing Day Test.
"In terms of the wicket, obviously it was a tricky one. 36 wickets over two days, probably offered just a little bit too much. You know, it's tough as a groundsman. I think he's always looking for the right sort of balance, I suppose. Last year's wicket was an outstanding one. Went to day five last session, and you know, in an ideal world, every wicket does that, and it's exciting for everyone. But yeah, maybe if you took it from 10 to 8, it would have been a nice challenging wicket, but maybe a little bit more even, I suppose. But you know, groundsmen are always learning, and yeah, he'll probably take something from that, no doubt," said Smith in the post-match conference.
Reflecting on the loss, Smith said England outplayed Australia, praising their disciplined bowling and aggressive batting. He noted England's strong start in the chase helped them soften the ball and eventually reduce the pitch's difficulty.
"Tough loss in the end. England came out today and played some really good cricket. They got the ball in the right areas and dismissed us. The way they started with the bat was good. Obviously, they were really aggressive, tried to break the back of the reasonably small chase on a tricky wicket, and yeah, they got off to a bit of a flyer. And a couple of their heavy blows softened our seam quite a bit, and probably didn't offer quite as much as it had for the rest of the game after that. So, credit to them," Smith said.