The iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is reportedly facing staggering financial losses estimated at £12.39 million (A$25 million) following the disastrous pitch prepared for this year's Boxing Day Test between Australia and England.
ICC Sanctions and Match Fallout
On Monday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) handed the MCG one demerit point after match referee Jeff Crowe ruled the green-tinged pitch was 'unsatisfactory'. This rating is the second lowest on the ICC's four-tier scale. The match itself was a historic low, becoming the shortest Test at the MCG since 1932, concluding inside just two days as England secured victory.
A mere 142 overs were bowled across four innings, with a total of 36 wickets falling. The highest individual score was a modest 46 by Australia's Travis Head, highlighting the batters' struggle on a surface offering excessive assistance to bowlers.
Financial Repercussions for Stakeholders
The abbreviated match has sent shockwaves through Cricket Australia and its commercial partners. The projected £12.4 million shortfall is linked to lost revenue from tickets, food and beverage sales, and crucially, broadcasting rights. Should the final Test in Sydney last its full duration, the entire series will have featured only 18 days of cricket, leaving broadcasters potentially seven days of coverage short.
While Channel 7 has reported increased viewing figures for the series, the network is understood to have lost between £500,000 and £1 million in missed advertising opportunities after the Perth Test also finished early. Interestingly, the ICC rated the Perth pitch as 'very good' despite its two-day conclusion.
Criticism and Accountability
The pitch has drawn fierce criticism from players and pundits alike. England captain Ben Stokes suggested there would be 'hell' to pay if a similar surface was prepared elsewhere in the world. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting questioned why curators left 10mm of grass on the wicket, compared to 7mm for a thrilling five-day Test against India earlier in the year.
MCG curator Matt Page has accepted responsibility, stating the team misjudged the preparation. 'We left it longer because we knew we were going to get weather at the back end... You look back at it and go, it has favoured the bowlers too much on days one and two,' Page admitted.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg has indicated the governing body will scrutinise pitch preparation more closely in future. The MCG now carries the demerit point for five years; if the ground accumulates six points in that time, it faces a 12-month suspension from hosting international cricket.
