ASHES SHAME: Aussie Cricket Officials Roasted for ‘Sacrificial Lamb’ Treatment of Groundsman Amid $25 Million Pitch Blunder
- England’s historic win on Aussie soil marred by shambolic pitch conditions that saw 36 wickets fall in under two days
- MCG pitch curator Matt Page faces media firing squad as Piers Morgan slams Aussie cricket bosses for ‘pathetic’ treatment
- Cricket Australia set to lose up to $25 million from truncated Test, with pitch blunder sparking accusations of hypocrisy
- England captain Ben Stokes warns of ‘hell’ if similar pitch conditions were served up outside of Australia
In a scathing attack, Piers Morgan has blasted Aussie cricket officials for throwing MCG pitch curator Matt Page under the bus following the disastrous Boxing Day Test.
As the dust settles on England’s first Test win on Aussie soil in over 14 years, the real controversy is centring around the volatile pitch that saw 36 wickets tumble in less than 48 hours.
Morgan, never one to mince words, took to X to lambast Aussie cricket bosses for ‘offering up the groundsman as a sacrificial lamb’. ‘Pathetic,’ he fumed.
Page, who faced a media grilling on Sunday, admitted he was in a state of ‘shock’ as the Test unfolded, with 20 wickets falling on the first day alone. ‘I’ve never been involved in a Test match like it and hopefully never involved in a Test match like it again,’ he said.
The pitch, which was covered in 10mm of grass, three more than the previous year, has been widely panned, with some cricket commentators accusing Australia of ‘hypocrisy’ over its long history of criticising pitches overseas.
England captain Ben Stokes led the charge, warning that there would be ‘hell’ if such pitch conditions were served up outside of Australia. ‘It is not the best thing for games that should be played over five days but we played a type of cricket that ended up getting the job done,’ he said.
The fallout from the pitch blunder is set to cost Cricket Australia a pretty penny, with estimates suggesting the governing body will lose up to $25 million from having its biggest showpiece Test wrapped up in two days.
The pressure is now on SCG ground staff to deliver a pitch that will see at least three days of cricket when the fifth Test begins on January 4. Anything less, and the Aussie cricket hierarchy will be facing some very tough questions.
As for Page, despite the intense scrutiny, he has been backed to keep his job and respond next year. But for now, the focus is on the SCG and the hope that they can avoid another Ashes shame.