‘Disgrace to the game’ – Ashes stadium bosses call rare press conference with England victory set to cost millions

England avoided an Ashes whitewash against Australia in one of the most bizarre Test matches ever played.

The tourists won by four wickets on day two at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, pulling the series back to 3-1 with one match remaining, as 36 wickets fell in astonishing time.

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Ben Stokes’ men successfully chased down 175 after Australia were bowled out twice in 79.5 overs – their shortest batting display in a Test match since the 1928/29 Ashes.

For England, it is their first victory Down Under since 2011, which salvages some pride from what has been a calamitous tour on and off the pitch to this point.

Pitch Imperfect

However, the headlines in Australia are set to be dominated by the atrocious playing surface at the world-famous MCG.

The pitch has received widespread criticism from across the world of cricket, as batting for a sustained period of time became almost impossible, leading to what many considered a farcical Test match.

In fact, Melbourne Cricket Club CEO Stuart Fox and head curator Matthew Page have called a rare press conference on Sunday to address what has already become a scandal.

Along with fans who have travelled across the globe with tickets for day three, Cricket Australia will be the ones who pay the price for the shocking MCG pitch.

It has been reported that the first Test in Perth cost organisers A$3.5million, as only two days out of five were played.

Speaking on ‘Following On: Ashes Inquest’, talkSPORT cricket correspondent Jon Norman said: “If the Perth Test match cost them A$3.5m, then you can probably double that for this one.

“So you’re looking at the best part of a A$10m shortfall. This pitch was just not good enough. It wasn’t even exciting. It was just really poor.

“It was low quality cricket. Watching Mitchell Starc bowl at the start of the second innings… Ben Duckett could’ve been out ten times.

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“It was so stunted in favour of the bowlers, it was just a miracle if you survived.”

England legend Steve Harmison added: “The MCG on Boxing Day is one of the biggest occasions in world cricket.

“They brought in 94,000 on days one and two. To have a surface like that – which you wouldn’t even get in a level five village match – is a disgrace to the game of cricket.

“The players didn’t deserve that surface. There’s a difference between good bowling and putting the ball anywhere for the pitch to do the talking.

“The England players can do what they want now – because they won’t be on the front page tomorrow. It will be these two [Fox and Page] after their press conference.”

England deserve credit

Nevertheless, Harmison was keen to give England plaudits for getting the job done in such difficult conditions.

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The tourists delivered the biggest score of the four innings to seal victory as their trademark ‘Bazball’ style managed to thrive in the chaos.

Harmison added: “All jokes aside, the pitch was a joke, but I didn’t want to talk about it too much.

“Because we’ve been so negative about England for so long, and whatever pitch you play on, to find a way to win is the biggest characteristic to have.

“Chasing the biggest total of the match, England found a way to win, after everything that’s been thrown at them… I am so pleased for Ben Stokes and his team.”