MCG beneath stress to ship contest after Gabba let-down

The Melbourne Cricket Ground is beneath stress to provide a pitch that delivers a fairer contest between bat and ball within the Boxing Day check between Australia and South Africa after the series-opener on the Gabba was over inside two days.

Australia gained the Brisbane check by six wickets as batters struggled on a green-top pitch that was criticised by South Africa captain Dean Elgar and earned a “below average” score by the International Cricket Council.

Along with followers denied motion lasting as much as 5 days, broadcasters additionally misplaced out on promoting income.

The Gabba pitch has acquired one demerit level beneath the ICC Pitch and Outfield monitoring course of.

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— ICC (@ICC) December 20, 2022

Cricket Australia operations chief Peter Roach mentioned the governing physique had no management over MCG curator Matt Page and his work on the pitch however would interact with him within the lead-up to the check beginning Monday.

“We expect our curators, again, to find that balance between bat and ball given the unique characteristics of the venue they are at,” Roach instructed reporters on Wednesday.

Last 12 months’s Boxing Day check was over inside three days, as Australia thrashed England in a one-sided Ashes contest. Australia vice captain Steve Smith mentioned he hoped Melbourne can be kinder to batsmen, score the Gabba pitch as “probably” essentially the most troublesome he had ever performed on in his residence nation.

“Some balls were sitting in the wicket, making divots, some were zinging through and it was just incredibly hard to bat against,” Smith mentioned on Wednesday.

“Whether it was unsafe or not, it’s not likely my place to guage, nevertheless it actually wasn’t straightforward to bat.

“As a batter I’d like (the wicket) to perform a little bit much less.

“I think it’s a fine balance just trying to get that even contest between bat and ball.”

Australia will look to seal the three-match collection with one other victory in Melbourne.