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'We Aim To Give Bowlers...,' - MCG Curator Opens Up After Conspiracy Allegations  

MCG Pitch for the fourth Test (Source:@ImIrfan_18,x.com)MCG Pitch for the fourth Test (Source:@ImIrfan_18,x.com)

Ahead of the much-awaited Boxing Day Test between India and Australia at the MCG, curator Matt Page has revealed crucial details about the pitch, and suggested that the surface will be a balanced one. He added that the pitch will offer assistance to both bowlers and batters. With the series level at 1-1, both teams will be eager to gain the upper hand in the fourth Test and it it is important to mention that pitch will play a crucial role. 

MCG Curator Hints At Balanced Pitch For Boxing Day Test 

In a pre-match press conference, Matt Page offered details into the pitch preparation and confirmed  that the MCG’s wicket will have a light covering of grass, in order to provide the best conditions for the match. He also emphasised that the pitch would offer a combination of pace, bounce, and some sideways movement, designed to keep both batters and bowlers engaged throughout the contest.


“Spinners? Oh, it doesn’t really break up and spin here.If you look at our long-format games over the last four or five years, they’ve been more seam-friendly than spin-friendly. So I don’t see that changing here. We haven’t altered our pitches because of the balls. Basically, as I said, we sat down seven years ago after 2017 and discussed where we wanted to go as an organization and what we wanted to be renowned for—producing Test matches that provide a thrilling contest."

He also added that the MCG pitch would not mirror the extreme conditions of other Australian venues like Perth or Brisbane, which are renowned for their pace and bounce. However, the pitch curator confidently stated that the Melbourne pitch would still provide enough pace for fast bowlers to make an impact. He ruled out the prospect of spinners playing a major role in the Boxing Day Test. 

“We aim to give bowlers opportunities at various points in the game while also giving batters a chance if they play well. So we experimented with our grass levels, compaction, and moisture, which took about three years to fine-tune. Over the last two or three years, we’ve been consistent in what we’ve rolled out, leaving a bit more grass on the pitches than we used to. It’s provided thrilling contests, and that’s what we want to do."

As both the teams prepare for the fourth Test at the MCG, the inputs on the pitch, clearly emphasise that the it will well-balanced pitch that will favour fast bowlers while still providing a fair opportunity for the batters.