MCG Test pitch ‘average’: ICC

MELBOURNE: An “average” pitch rating by the ICC for the recently concluded Boxing Day Test between Australia and India has eased some pressure off the MCG and its ground staff, in the wake of last year’s “poor” rating.

Given the dull draw played out last year between Australia and England, there was a sharp focus on the quality of the drop-in pitch in the lead-up to the third Test. The first two days of the match, which saw India pile up 7 for 443 declared, revived concerns about another dull surface, but the match turned on the third day with some unpredictable bounce and 15 wickets falling. India eventually won by 137 runs to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The ground staff had prepared for the game with short-term changes - the addition of a layer of sand between the trays and the concrete base, the reduction of pitches on the square from 10 to seven to aid more natural wear and tear, and the decision to leave more grass on the pitch at the start of a game - alongside a longer-term plan to improve the quality of the surface.