The Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) is reportedly preparing for significant financial losses estimated at around $25 million Australian dollars, equivalent to approximately £12.39 million, following the controversial pitch prepared for the recent Boxing Day Test match.
ICC Sanctions and Match Fallout
On Monday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) handed the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) one demerit point. This penalty came after match referee Jeff Crowe rated the green, seamer-friendly pitch as 'unsatisfactory'. The match itself was historic for all the wrong reasons, becoming the shortest Test at the iconic venue since 1932.
England secured a victory inside just two days, ending a 15-year wait for a Test win on Australian soil. A mere 142 overs were bowled across all four innings, with a staggering 36 wickets tumbling. The ICC's pitch rating system has four tiers, with 'unsatisfactory' being the second lowest. Grounds that accumulate six demerit points within five years risk a 12-month suspension from hosting international cricket.
Financial Repercussions for Stakeholders
The abbreviated match has left Cricket Australia reeling, with broadcasters and other stakeholders facing a substantial revenue shortfall. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the projected $25m AUD loss stems from missed ticket sales, diminished food and beverage revenue, and crucially, lost broadcasting income.
Should the final Test in Sydney go the full five days, the entire series will have featured only 18 days of cricket instead of a possible 25. This means broadcasters could miss out on seven full days of scheduled coverage. Reports indicate TV networks were 'quietly fuming', as this was the second Test of the series to finish inside two days.
Interestingly, despite the revenue hit, Channel 7 reported increased viewing figures. The Brisbane Test attracted a national TV audience of 1.21 million, a 6% lift on the Perth Test and a 36% rise compared to the equivalent Test against India in the 2023-24 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Their Boxing Day coverage also saw a 16% year-on-year increase. However, the network reportedly faced losses of $1m-$2m AUD after the Perth Test due to missed advertising slots.
Criticism and Accountability for the Pitch
While batters from both sides were dismissed cheaply—Travis Head's 46 was the highest score of the match—the pitch bore the brunt of criticism from former players and pundits. England captain Ben Stokes suggested there would be 'hell' to pay if a similar pitch were prepared elsewhere in the world.
England's Stuart Broad told SEN Radio: 'It has just done far too much. Test match bowlers don’t need this amount of movement to look threatening. Great Test match pitches, generally, they bounce, but they don't jag all over the place.'
Australian legend Ricky Ponting highlighted that curators left 10mm of grass on the wicket, compared to 7mm for a thrilling five-day Test against India at the same ground in 2024. 'That will be the question that is going to be asked of the groundsmen – why did you leave more grass this year than in previous years?' Ponting said.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg has since hinted the governing body will scrutinise pitch preparation more closely in future. MCC curator Matt Page accepted responsibility, explaining the team left more grass anticipating weather later in the match. 'You look back at it and go, it has favoured the bowlers too much on days one and two,' Page admitted on Sunday.
