The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) pitch used for the Boxing Day Ashes Test has been rated ‘Unsatisfactory’ following the rapid conclusion of the fourth Test, which finished in just two days. The venue received one demerit point under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.
Emirates ICC Elite Panel Match Referee Jeff Crowe explained the decision, stating, “The MCG pitch heavily favoured bowlers. With 20 wickets falling on the first day and 16 on the second, and no batter reaching a half-century, the pitch is classified as ‘Unsatisfactory’ under ICC guidelines.”
England won the toss and sent Australia in to bat, immediately applying pressure with a fast bowling attack. Josh Tongue led the effort with 5/45, dismissing Australia for just 152 runs. England struggled to cope with the challenging conditions and were bowled out for 110 in 30 overs.
Australia’s second innings also saw heavy losses, managing only 132 runs, while Travis Head’s 46 stood as the highest score of the match. England chased the target in 32.2 overs, losing six wickets, with contributions from Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Jacob Bethell.
The fourth Ashes Test saw 36 wickets fall across 142 overs, with no batter scoring a half-century, highlighting the extreme difficulty of the pitch for batting. Despite England recording their first Test win in Australia since 2011, Australia had already secured the Ashes series after winning the first three Tests.
The final Test of the Ashes 2025–26 series is scheduled to take place at the Sydney Cricket Ground, starting January 4, where both teams will look to finish the series on a high note.