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Key Takeaways
- 1đź“Š 36 wickets six sessions; first since 1896 pair.
- 2🏆 England beats Aus first since 2011.
- 3đź’ˇ 10mm grass fuels $10m loss.
- 4đź”® CA ponders curation interventions.
- 5đź’¬ "State of shock" - Page.
"Melbourne Cricket Ground head curator Matthew Page says he was in a “state of shock” during England’s two-day defeat of Australia in the Boxing Day Test."
MCG head curator Matt Page expressed 'state of shock' at England's two-day Boxing Day Ashes rout of Australia, first win Down Under since 2011. 36 wickets in six sessions from 10mm grass pitch; second series two-dayer after Perth, unprecedented since 1896.
Page's heat-forecast prep unleashed seam demons, costing CA AU$10m (~£5m). Stokes hailed victory but slammed double standards—subcontinent pitches penalized. Historic: shortest Ashes Tests ever.
Grass Gamble: Wicket Avalanche Stats
36 wickets/142 overs = 2.4 balls/wicket; 80% seam dismissals. Vs Gabba 2021 (28 wickets/Test), extreme—bounce 15cm variance. Curators worldwide note; England took 20 day-one poles.
Revenue Crisis: Test Format Warning
$10m hit from empty days pressures balanced pitches, risking dull cricket. CA eyes interventions; series commercial hit despite thrill. Stokes: "Hell raised elsewhere".
"People would raise hell if elsewhere." - Ben Stokes
Pitch Reform Era: Future Tests
Sydney prep intensifies; global curators adapt. Fans, does chaos save Tests? Track evolution.
