Test great Adam Gilchrist says other Boxing Day options needed if MCG pitch continues to be sub-standard

Test legend Adam Gilchrist says he would hate to see the MCG lose the Boxing Day Test, but if the pitch at the ground continues to struggle, other options need to be considered.

A general view of play as Steve Smith of Australia cover drives during day two of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India, played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday, December 27, 2014, in Melbourne, Australia. Picture: Hamish Blair

• Play SuperCoach BBL. Pick your team today
• Aussies up against ‘best tactician in world cricket’

Adam Gilchrist believes the era of automatic entitlement is over in Test cricket and quipped it might be time to send a truckload of Perth’s most prized real estate across the Nullarbor to save the embattled MCG.

The Test great said he would hate to see the tradition of the Boxing Day Test taken away from Melbourne, but admits Cricket Australia must keep that option on the table should the tired old MCG wicket block keep failing.

Perth Stadium proudly unveiled a Test strip on Wednesday which will maintain the fiery traditions of the Wild West in alarming temperatures tipped to soar past 50 degrees out in the middle.

Stream the Australia v New Zealand Domain Test Series Live & Ad-Break Free During Play with KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly>

Boxing Day Test action at the MCG. Test great Adam Gilchrist says the ground has no ‘God-given right’ to host the iconic Test. Picture: Hamish Blair

Curator Brett Sipthorpe set the cat amongst the pigeons on Wednesday by declaring the prospect of “all hell breaking loose” for batsmen on a pitch Test legend Sachin Tendulkar last year lauded as the benchmark for keeping Test cricket alive and buzzing.

Gilchrist yesterday asked the bold question, why successful drop-ins from Perth or Adelaide couldn’t be transported to the MCG as a solution to the embarrassing plight of the country’s most iconic ground.

Sipthorpe cast doubt over whether that was realistic, however leading figures in South Australian cricket – home to Australia’s best Test wicket in Adelaide – confirmed that technically, it is something that could be done.

Either way, Gilchrist says the heat should be on the MCG to deliver if it is to maintain its stranglehold over Boxing Day.

Western Australia’s Shaun Marsh cops a ball to the helmet during their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at the MCG. An unsafe pitch led to the match being abandoned. Picture: AAP

“The romantic, the historian in me would love to see it stay at that iconic venue, but I did read with interest Vaughany’s (England great Michael Vaughan’s) comments that no ground should ever sit back and think that it’s history guarantees its place every year, regardless,” said the face of Fox Cricket.

“There’s an obligation to maintain wickets and in this instance cricket pitches that provide the appropriate challenge between bat and ball but also providing entertaining cricket and ideally the opportunity for a result.

“It’s been a while now. This hasn’t snuck up on anyone. The fact the Boxing Day Test and these wickets are clearly starting to struggle to do everything that I just mentioned.

“There’s no God-given right. It would be a shame to see it leave there. But if they can’t produce it, other options probably should be taken into account.”

Drop-in pitches being installed at the MCG. Picture: Jason Edwards

Perth Stadium boss Mike McKenna is lobbying for Boxing Day to move out west, but WA chief Christina Matthews is adamant Cricket Australia’s Melbourne mafia would never consider such a radical change.

“They’re not looking at moving anything from Melbourne on Boxing Day. We know how sensitive Melbourne people are about their Boxing Day Test and we’re quite happy with the schedule,” said Matthews.

Gilchrist has now joined fellow Fox Cricket commentator Mark Waugh in floating the left-field idea of transporting drop-in wickets on trucks around the country.

“Could you take one of these ones over there? Why couldn’t you? Stick them on a truck couldn’t you?” asked Gilchrist.

Sipthorpe said “you’d need a pretty handy truck. They’re in one piece and their 25 metres long and 35 ton.”

But acknowledged it could be done if separated into two pieces.

Sipthorpe is expecting cracks to open up in the extreme heat which in the middle of the concrete coliseum could top 50 degrees for players.

“We’ve all seen the forecast. We’ve put plenty of moisture in it to try and hold it together for as long as we can. I don’t want it to go cracking open too quickly,” he said.

“I think it was 1-100 at lunch last year and then after lunch all hell broke loose. I expect something along those lines.

“The unknown is what the temperatures are like. It could be 50 degrees out here.”

Originally published as Test great Adam Gilchrist says other Boxing Day options needed if MCG pitch continues to be sub-standard