Outspoken broadcaster Piers Morgan has launched a fierce defence of the Melbourne Cricket Ground's head curator, accusing Cricket Australia of offering him up as a 'sacrificial lamb' following the disastrous Boxing Day Ashes Test.
A Pitch That Sparked Outrage
The wicket prepared by head groundsman Matt Page at the MCG has been universally criticised after an astonishing 40 wickets fell in just two days of play. England secured their first Test victory in Australia for nearly 15 years in a match where batters from both sides struggled immensely with the conditions.
In a highly unusual move, Page fronted the media to explain the situation, admitting he got the deck 'badly wrong' and was in a 'state of shock' as 20 batters were dismissed on the first day alone.
Morgan's Blast at the 'Pathetic' Blame Game
Taking to social media platform X, Morgan shifted the blame squarely onto the administrators. 'Australia offering up the groundsman as a sacrificial lamb is pathetic,' he declared. 'Both sides batted and bowled on the same pitch, twice. England batted and bowled better. End.'
Morgan insinuated that Australian cricket bosses were trying to divert attention from their team's comprehensive defeat by focusing on the pitch conditions. His comments ignited a fierce debate among fans online.
A Divided Reaction and Costly Consequences
While some supporters agreed with Morgan, others argued he was missing the point. Many contended that Page was not apologising for Australia's loss, but for a match lasting only two days, which is estimated to have cost Cricket Australia at least $10 million in lost revenue.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg acknowledged the severe commercial impact, stating, 'Simple phrase I'd use is, short Tests are bad for business.' He revealed the governing body may abandon its traditional hands-off approach to pitch preparation. 'It's hard not to get more involved when you see the impact on the sport, especially commercially,' Greenberg said.
The fallout is set to continue, with the MCG wicket now likely to receive a downgraded rating from cricket authorities. The incident has sparked a fundamental debate about accountability, pitch preparation, and the commercial pressures of modern Test cricket.
