Ashes 4th Test: The Melbourne farce

Scott Boland appeals for a wicket (AP Photo)

A Test match is expected to be the pinnacle of the sport. It actually is. And that’s where it hurts. When a Boxing Day Test gets done in under two days, there is something acutely wrong with what was staged at the MCG. 20 wickets fell on day one and while one can draw attention to some of the shots played, the truth is the wicket is a lottery. Batters know that there is always going to be a ball round the corner that has their number. Hence the only option is to hit out and score some quick runs. You can’t graft, you can’t grind and you can’t bat like you would in a Test match.

Why would you want to prepare a track like this? Is it because the Australian frontline pacers in Hazlewood and Cummins are out with injuries? Is it because Nathan Lyon too is not available? Are the Australians, despite the 3-0 lead in the series, not really confident of getting the better of England on a good wicket? Do they not have the same faith in bowlers like Neser or Richardson? Or is it that the curator got it plain wrong?

Whichever way you look at it to think that a Test match did not even last two days is a complete travesty. The Boxing Day Test is one of the most important games of the year and fans plan for it months in advance. People book tickets and holidays and come to Melbourne to watch the action. Day 3 is always a highlight and more so when it’s a Sunday. Imagine that there is no game on the Sunday and all you will get is an empty MCG, which is a reminder of what happened in the two days of farcical action.

At Perth the pitch was labelled as outstanding. I’d be very keen on seeing what happens at the MCG. If indeed the pitch is excellent, then the batters in both teams are plain poor. With batters of the quality of Smith and Root on either side, such a thing is impossible to believe. They are the two best batters of this era and to see them trying to hit every ball is an unfortunate development for Test cricket.

Anyone who has watched the English second innings closely will agree that the batters were trying to hit every ball. Scoops and laps and more, whatever it was it was a little strange to see. You can’t fault England for it was the only way that they could get a handle on the game. On a track like this they needed to do what Travis Head had done to them at Perth. When you are chasing a lowish total, a quick start can get half the job done and that’s what England was trying to do.

For the bowlers who picked wickets in a heap, the question to ask is whether this is a real Test of their ability? Can we judge anyone basis this performance? In sum, we need to ask the questions and MCG must be under scrutiny for delivering this farce and making a mockery of Test cricket.