MCG curator Matt Page is tipping the Boxing Day Test deck to most closely resemble the pitch used in a Sheffield Shield match last month in which 32 wickets fells in three days.
The focus on the MCG wicket is heightened after last summer’s Ashes debacle in which Alastair Cook crawled his way to a double-century in a dull draw, earning the venue’s drop-in pitch a “poor" rating from the International Cricket Council.
The MCG pitch did not produce much life in last year’s Boxing Day Test.Credit:AAP
A raft of changes were made over the off-season to improve the balance between bat and ball after all five first-class matches at the ground last summer were drawn. More movement is in the pipeline for the end of this summer, with the MCC looking at modernising technology to more closely mirror the livelier drop-in pitches witnessed so far in the series at Adelaide Oval and Perth’s Optus Stadium.
Three Shield matches have been played at the ‘G so far this summer, and although two have been drawn the signs have generally been more positive than they were last season. It is the second of the three games, played between Victoria and South Australia, which Page has identified as the one punters should look at if trying to predict conditions in the third Test.
“I think this one will be very similar to the South Australian game which we were probably happy with the most. We were unlucky not to get a result through rain, but there seemed to be a bit there for everyone; a bit there for the quicks, a couple of guys scored hundreds and the feedback we got from that game was really positive. I know we are still three days out but are looking at a wicket that will be similar to that," Page said on Sunday.
Peter Handscomb struck a century in that match, with Victoria 2-22 chasing 124 to win before the entire final day was washed out.
There was plenty in it for the bowlers during the game, especially early on. Victorian paceman Scott Boland took 7-54 on day one, said at the end of the day that “there's a bit more in it for both batting and bowling".
He was surprised SA had batted first after winning the toss.
"Even looking at the wicket I thought it was a bowl-first wicket,” Boland said.
Page experimented in the most recent Shield game between Victoria and WA, with the pitch not breaking up on day four. He acknowledged that things hadn’t gone to plan.
“Absolutely, we went into that game and we tried to get a little bit harder and a little bit drier and didn’t get the result we wanted,” Page said.
“We learned from that and make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“We’ve got a plan, we backed that plan in. The weather is going to be a big key for us and at this stage it’s looking really good.”
This is Page’s first Boxing Day Test as the main man at the 'G, having crossed from the WACA on the eve of last year’s match. He wants a pitch that allows spin to play a big role later in the game, and on that front the weather may work in his favour.
Boxing Day is forecast to be sunny in Melbourne, with a top of 26 degrees, and each of the following days are supposed to be even warmer.
“From that point of view we are hoping it will dry the top out and bring the spinners in later in the game,” Page said.
“Whereas if it’s cooler it probably wouldn’t change a lot over five days. The weather is massive to what we do and once the game starts we can’t do anything to the pitch. Sometimes you need that weather to get what you want.”
Page said the failure of last year and the spectre of further wrath from the ICC didn’t weigh heavily on him, but said that he was feeling some nerves.
“It doesn’t matter what pitch you prepare, and what rating you get. Every year to try to do the best possible job you can. Whether you succeed the year before, or it didn’t go quite as planned, I think there’s still the same pressures there. There’s definitely pressures there, but there’s also a lot of excitement as well,” Page said,.
“It’s a big, big sporting occasion. But very excited and looking forward to the start of the game.”
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