England greats were critical of the pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground after a dramatic opening day of the Boxing Day Ashes Test, one dominated by the bowlers. On Friday, both Australia and England were bowled out in their first innings, with 20 wickets falling in just 76.1 overs.
Asked to bat first, Australia were skittled for 152 in 45.2 overs, with Josh Tongue claiming a five-wicket haul. In reply, the hosts bundled England out for 110 in 29.5 overs to secure a 42-run first-innings lead. At stumps on Day 1, Australia extended that advantage to 46 runs.
After a day where the bowlers ruled, former England pacer Stuart Broad said bowlers can still be effective on better pitches. Broad, who retired in 2023, explained that good Test wickets offer pace and bounce, but do not assist excessive or unpredictable movement throughout the day.
Ashes Boxing Day Test Day 1 highlights | Scorecard
“The pitch is doing too much, if I’m brutally honest. Test match bowlers don’t need this amount of movement to look threatening. Great Test matches pitches, generally, they bounce, but they don’t jag all over the place,” Broad said while commentating on SEN Radio.
UNFAIR CONTEST
Alastair Cook, regarded as one of England’s greatest batters alongside Joe Root, said bowlers did not have to bend their backs to take wickets and felt the contest between bat and ball was unfair. While he hoped the pitch would even out as the match progressed, Cook admitted that the chances of that happening did not look likely.
“The bowlers didn’t have to work hard for their wickets. It was an unfair contest. I don’t know how you hit it [the ball]. If this flattens out tomorrow then fine, it’s an even contest over three or four days. But I don’t think this is particularly even,” Cook said.
For Australia, Michael Neser, playing his maiden red-ball Test for the hosts, was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 10-1-45-4. Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc chipped in with three and two wickets respectively. Heading into Day 2, Australia will feel they have their noses in front in a contest where run-making has proved difficult.
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