The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) pitch for the fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England has been rated “unsatisfactory” by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the match ended in just two days. The ICC said the seam-friendly pitch “favoured the bowlers too much” and handed the venue one demerit point. England won by four wickets, with no batsman reaching a half-century.
Match referee Jeff Crowe said 20 wickets fell on day one and 16 on day two, making batting extremely difficult. The ICC rating breaks the MCG’s streak of “very good” scores in the past three Boxing Day Tests. Cricket Australia faces an estimated AUS$10 million loss due to ticket refunds for the unused third and fourth days.
Read more: Ashes shock: Australia drops spinner, fields four quicks
Curator Matt Page left extra grass on the pitch to enhance seam movement and bounce, but Cricket Australia’s chief of cricket James Allsopp said fans were disappointed by the imbalance. He added that the MCG staff have consistently delivered high-quality Test pitches in previous years.
The ICC has handed down its verdict on the MCG pitch.
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— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 29, 2025
Australia coach Andrew McDonald defended Page, arguing that the batsmen also share responsibility for low scores. He stressed that curators should remain independent and that interference in pitch preparation could harm the integrity of Test cricket. Cricket Australia will conduct an end-of-season review of Test wicket management, but McDonald opposed interventionist measures.
Read more: England snap 15-year losing streak to win chaotic 4th Ashes Test
Australia leads the series 3-1, with the final Test set to begin in Sydney on Sunday. Fans and officials hope the Sydney pitch will provide a better balance between bat and ball for a full five-day contest.