Ashes 2025-26: Michael Vaughan says MCG pitch is ‘unfair’ and ‘done too much’ as England and Australia bowled out for low scores

Melbourne Cricket Club groundsman Matt Page left 10mm of grass on the pitch, which is considered long by regular standards, although he said it was the same formula that produced the fifth-day finish against India last year.

On the eve of the match Australia skipper Steve Smith said the pitch was “quite furry, quite green” and predicted movement off the seam.

BBC chief cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew believes the pitch “nipped” but was “not a minefield”.

However, former Australia seamer Glenn McGrath said the surface had “far too much grass on it” for his liking.

He said: “That pitch has too much life in it for Test cricket. It was 10mm of grass when I think 7mm would have been better, but I think he [the groundsman] was more concerned with what was happening on days three, four and five.

“The weather is getting warmer, which will have an impact on top of the rollers. So, it could get to the stage where England are batting in the fourth innings in the best batting conditions of the match.”

Following the 2017 Boxing Day Test, when only 24 wickets fell across the five days, the showcase festive match has not produced a draw in the seven matches since.

The previous Ashes Test in Melbourne, in 2021, was over inside three days when England were dismissed for 185 and 68 as Scott Boland inspired the Aussies to victory.

Former England skipper Sir Alastair Cook told TNT Sports the pitch was “heavily weighted towards the bowlers” who “didn’t have to work that hard” to take wickets.

“You put it in the right area it’s going to nip either way. I actually think it’s a bit of an unfair contest,” Cook said.

“I was watching some of the bowling on that pitch and I was thinking ‘how do you face that?’”

Despite the wicket helping the bowlers, Vaughan felt “indifferent batting” contributed to the low scores, with “question marks” over the technique of modern players.

“We are seeing Test matches like this where the pitch does a little – whether it’s spin or seam – and batters can’t cope with the movement,” Vaughan added.

“When the ball does something the technical side we’ve been accustomed to for many generations has gone from both sets of players.”