Australia v New Zealand: Cricket Australia back under-fire MCG deck to deliver for Boxing Day Test
Cricket Australia won’t hear of an Aussie summer without a MCG Boxing Day Test and are confident the pitch problems which marred the last Shield match will soon by a thing of the past.
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Melbourne’s Boxing Day Test wicket will benefit from the lessons of the Sheffield Shield pitch debacle, according to Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts.
The MCG’s middle strip is again expected to dominate discussion leading into the headline Test of the summer, after two years of criticism over the slow deck.
Last week’s abandoned Shield match due to a dangerous wicket couldn’t have come at a much worse time, with the match the last at the ground before the Test.
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The dangerous pitch has largely been blamed on attempts to liven up the wicket, with CA admitting chief curator Matt Page had gone too far in attempts to do so.
New drop-in wickets at the ground are still expected to be a couple of years away, but a move has been made to have a sand base rather than a concrete one under the current wickets.
The ground’s wicket had also received ratings of “very good” and “good” in the two Shield matches before the abandoned one, showing some signs of improvement.
“We’re really confident and appreciative of the new ways of managing the drop-in pitches at the MCG,” Roberts said.
“(Melbourne Cricket Club boss) Stuart Fox and Matt Page inherited ageing pitches which arguably should have been turned over before this.
“It was unfortunate that a little too much moisture was put into the wicket for the last Shield game.
“In fairness to Matt and his staff they were urged to make the pitch more sporting by a number of parties, be it players, Cricket Victoria or ourselves.
“And credit to them for having the courage to test that.
“I think it places the MCC better to prepare the best possible deck for Boxing Day with the learning from these last three Shield games.”
The ground’s pitch woes have prompted calls from Western Australia chairman Mike McKenna that his state should snatch the match away from Melbourne.
Adam Gilchrist also claimed this week no venue had a “God-given right” to an event, with the MCG having hosted the Boxing Day Test since 1990.
Melbourne and Sydney are the only cities guaranteed Tests each summer under current CA deals, however there are no specifications on which dates they must be played.
But Roberts also indicated it was highly unlikely Boxing Day would ever be taken away from Melbourne.
“What we do know is that there is a rich history around Boxing Day, we love that and respect that and we would really like to see Boxing Day Test continue at the MCG,” Roberts said.
“There’s an average opening day crowd of over 70,000 at the MCG.
“That’s the only venue in Australia which can accommodate that crowd so that’s a key consideration.”