Australia coach Andrew McDonald has defended the MCG’s curator and warned in opposition to authorities meddling in pitch preparation.
Curator Matt Web page and his crew have been within the firing line after leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket for the fourth Ashes Check in opposition to England.
It supplied the seamers with motion and bounce, making batting treacherous, with England profitable by 4 wickets inside two days.
The carnage left Cricket Australia going through A$10-million (R112-million) in income shortfall, with tickets for day three, 4 and 5 needing to be refunded.
MORE: MCG curator in ‘state of shock’
McDonald mentioned Web page had performed an “excellent” job through the years and the batsmen must also shoulder a number of the blame for not scoring sufficient runs.
“The attitude that I all the time use is we’ve unhealthy Check matches as effectively – this Check we weren’t at our greatest and typically this stuff can occur.
“We help him in what he’s performed and are actually pleased with the evolution of the MCG. He’s discovered a pleasant stability for an extended time frame.”
ICC referee Jeff Crowe is but to ship his evaluation of the pitch, which if handed an “unsatisfactory” ranking would see the venue slapped with a demerit level.
Cricket Australia are set to undertake its personal end-of-season evaluate of the administration of Check wickets.
CEO Todd Greenberg has steered a extra interventionist method may be wanted, with shorter Assessments “unhealthy for enterprise”.
CA BOSS: Quick Assessments unhealthy for enterprise
However McDonald mentioned he was not in favour of any interference, with curators in Australia historically impartial when getting ready pitches, each from captains and Cricket Australia.
“I don’t need to get to a state of affairs the place we’re asking for particular surfaces and tailored,” McDonald mentioned. “I don’t assume Australia will ever go there, and I don’t assume they’ve ever been there, to my data.”
MCG curator Matt Web page with the total clarification on why the Boxing Day Check wicket performed the best way it did 👀
Watch the #Ashes LIVE in 4K and ad-break free throughout play, on Kayo!#TheAshes #AUSvENG #Cricket pic.twitter.com/3LQC6vGKpg
— Kayo Sports activities (@kayosports) December 28, 2025
– AFP
Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Photos
