Melbourne, Dec 28 (NationPress) The chief curator of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Matt Page, has conveyed his disappointment following the swift conclusion of the fourth Ashes Test at the MCG, which lasted only two days. He stated that he was in a “state of shock” as he witnessed the Boxing Day Test come to an end.

England triumphed in the fourth Ashes Test in under 32 hours, with a total of 36 wickets falling for 572 runs across 142 overs, securing a victory by four wickets. Notably, neither team recorded a half-century, a rarity in Australian Test matches since 1932.

Addressing the press outside the MCG on Sunday, Page elaborated on the hurdles he encountered while preparing the pitch and shared his discontent with the outcome.

“We are certainly very disappointed that it concluded in just two days. We would have preferred to be inside watching these two outstanding teams compete,” he informed reporters. “We will learn from this experience and improve, as we have done over the last seven years with every challenge we have encountered. We will evolve from this, ensuring we get it right next year.”

Page admitted to being taken aback when 20 wickets fell on Day 1. “I was in a state of shock after the first day with everything that transpired. 20 wickets in a single day is unprecedented for me, and I hope to never experience such a Test match again,” he remarked.

“It was a whirlwind for two days watching the events unfold. However, we will learn from it, grow from it, and improve, just as we have over the years. I am confident we will return stronger and better than before,” he added.

Meanwhile, Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) chief Stuart Fox also expressed his dissatisfaction on Boxing Day, noting that the pitch clearly favored bowlers and provided little opportunity for batters.

“This pitch clearly favored the bowlers and offered no advantage to the batters to settle in. We are disappointed. This situation illustrates the extremely narrow margins that Matt and his team are working with,” Fox stated.

“We faced some challenging conditions leading up to the Test, particularly with the weather. We recognize the impact this has had on fans and our key stakeholder, Cricket Australia.

“This is not something we planned for; we are disappointed, but we will move forward. We will respond swiftly. Matt and his team have successfully managed this before and produced excellent pitches, so I have complete faith in them,” he added.

Page also explained the rationale behind having 10 millimeters of grass on the pitch this year, compared to seven last year.

“Last year, we had a lot of hot weather leading into the game, which made it easier for us to manage moisture levels. We maintained more moisture in the top layer of the pitch last year to ensure a competitive match early on,” Page shared.

“This year, we opted for 10 millimeters as we anticipated a lot of hot weather towards the end of the game. We are very cautious about producing flat pitches; we do not want to revert to what we experienced in 2017 (when it was highly unplayable). Maintaining our grass is crucial to our work. We aim to prevent inconsistent bounce and deterioration in our pitches.

“Our goal is to balance the contest between bat and ball throughout four or five days to provide an engaging Test for all spectators. Therefore, we left it longer due to anticipated weather conditions. We assure you we will rectify this issue next year,” he concluded.

Despite the pitch setback, the MCC chief reaffirmed his support for Page and his team. “We brought Matt on eight years ago because he is regarded as one of the best in the country, if not the best, and I still believe that. He has done an outstanding job. He and his team work tirelessly to get it right. His disappointment today is evident. He bears that responsibility, and as a leader, my role is to support him,” he stated.