The ICC on Monday rated the pitch used for the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne
The decision followed match referee Jeff Crowe’s assessment that the surface was “too much in favour of the bowlers”, resulting in an uneven contest between bat and ball. England won the Test by four wickets, but the match was overshadowed by the extreme nature of the pitch, which saw 20 wickets fall on the opening day alone.
In a statement, the ICC confirmed: “The pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the venue for the fourth Ashes Test, has been deemed ‘Unsatisfactory’ with the venue handed one demerit point under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.”
Explaining the rating, Crowe said that 36 wickets fell in just 142 overs across two days, with no batter managing to score a half-century. “With 20 wickets falling on the first day and 16 on the second, the pitch was unsatisfactory as per the guidelines,” he noted.
Under ICC regulations, pitches are graded as very good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory or unfit. A venue accumulating six demerit points within a rolling five-year period faces a 12-month ban from hosting international matches. An unsatisfactory rating is issued when a pitch excessively favours bowlers and fails to offer a fair balance.
The decision drew mixed reactions during the Test. England captain Ben Stokes said the surface was “not good for the game”, while Cricket Australia reportedly described it as bad for business. A sell-out crowd of over 90,000 had been expected on day three, and the early finish is likely to result in significant financial losses.
The MCG had received “very good” ratings for the previous three Boxing Day Tests. The final Ashes Test will be played in Sydney from January 4.
Our Thoughts
The ICC’s ruling underlines the growing scrutiny on pitch preparation in elite cricket. While fast-paced contests can be exciting, surfaces that deny batters any realistic chance risk harming both the sporting balance and the commercial appeal of the game. The MCG episode is a reminder that maintaining equilibrium remains central to preserving Test cricket’s integrity.