‘I’m not liking what I’m seeing’: MCG pitch under fire as 20 wickets fall on chaotic opening day

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Australian greats Brett Lee and Mark Waugh believe a lively MCG pitch swung the balance too far in favour of the fast bowlers on a chaotic first day that saw 20 wickets fall and Australia leave England demoralised once again.

Australia were skittled for 152 inside 45.2 overs, with No.8 Michael Neser top-scoring with 35 in his maiden Boxing Day Test, but bounced back to rip through England’s fragile batting order and leave the tourists all out for 110 in 29.5 overs.

Scott Boland celebrates the wicket of Will Jacks.

The last time Australia made fewer runs in a first innings at the MCG and went on to win was the 1977 Centenary Test, when Greg Chappell’s side were dismissed for 138 before England were bowled out for 95.

The only other instance came in 1902 – when Australia made 112 and 144 – but history is firmly in play after an extraordinary day on which the pitch was squarely in the spotlight.

Neither side selected a frontline spinner, aware the surface would pose major headaches on a cool Melbourne day in front of a record crowd for a cricket match at the venue of 94,199.

Curator Matt Page left 10 millimetres of grass on the pitch – a touch more than usual – which convinced England to bowl after winning the toss.

Mitchell Starc of Australia celebrates the wicket of Ben Duckett.

Last year’s five-day thriller against India was a curator’s dream, but when England slumped to 4-16 after eight overs on Friday the script had flipped into something far less than ideal for Cricket Australia.

When Cameron Green bowled Gus Atkinson for 28 to wrap up England’s innings, it marked the most wickets to fall on a day of Test cricket in Australia since 1951 – enough to leave any day-three ticket holder nervous.

“I think it’s a bit too sporty, in my opinion. I think there’s a bit too much in it,” Lee said on Fox. “I wouldn’t be complaining at the end of the day if I was a fast bowler. It’s a different surface. It’s that furry feeling. I rubbed my hand on the side of the wicket this morning, and you can feel the grass lift up.

“Cummo [Australian captain Pat Cummins] was almost going to go back to the hotel to pick up his spikes. But if you don’t bowl the right line and length, you’re not going to get the wickets. Wickets don’t just fall in your lap.”

“I think it’s a bit too sporty, in my opinion. I think there’s a bit too much in it.”

Brett Lee

As Neser (4-45 from 10 overs) and Scott Boland (3-30 off nine) dismantled England once more, with some outstanding seam bowling and unerring accuracy, Marnus Labuschagne admitted batting was a difficult task on Friday, having made six off 19 balls.

“There’s a fair bit of grass on there, so the ball is just sitting in the wicket a little bit and making scoring a little bit tough, especially down the ground,” Labuschagne said on Fox. “It’s something we’re going to have to work through in our next innings.”

Waugh was unimpressed after Will Jacks inside-edged a Boland delivery that moved sharply off the seam.

“I’m not really liking what I’m seeing so far. It’s just a bit too much in favour of the quicker bowlers,” he said on Fox. “That’s gone a mile. He’s a bit unlucky to hit that, Will Jacks. That’s seamed like an off-spinner. You get high-quality seam bowling like Scott Boland, he’s going to nip it both ways.”

The most wickets to fall on an opening day of Test cricket in Australia remains the 25 at the MCG in 1902.

England squandered their best chance of the series to seize control, as Zak Crawley (5), Ben Duckett (2), Ashes debutant Jacob Bethell (1) and Joe Root (0) all failed to steady the innings.

Duckett’s leading edge off Starc capped a week overshadowed by an alcohol-fuelled video in Noosa, Bethell edged behind to Carey off Neser, while Root’s 14-ball duck - his fifth score under 20 this series - underscored his slump after a century at the Gabba.

While none of Australia top four made it past 12, England’s remarkable capitulation showed why it is wise to judge a team’s performance only once both sides have batted.

When Harry Brook charged Starc first ball and tried to hit him for six – missing by a long way – it evoked memories of Sam Konstas’ audacious series of ramp shots on debut last year. Brook’s entertaining knock of 41 off 34 ended lbw to Boland amid an England collapse of 6-44.

Jake Weatherald and Travis Head almost opened the batting twice in one day, but Australia opted for Boland as a nightwatchman alongside the latter for the single over before stumps.

Boland, batting with an armguard and the home crowd firmly behind him, safely navigated Gus Atkinson’s six deliveries – even managing a boundary from the final ball, which brought the biggest cheer of the day as Australia went to the close of a stunning day leading by 46 runs.