"Curator should be held to account by his bosses" - Former England opener blasts MCG pitch after Ashes 2025-26 4th Test ends on Day 2

Former England opener Sir Geoffrey Boycott strongly believes the curator of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) must be held accountable, as the fourth Ashes 2025-26 Test ended on Day 2. Boycott opined that leaving too much grass on the pitch went against the expected standard of Test cricket.

The surface at MCG has come under intense scrutiny as the high-profile Boxing Day Test ended in a couple of days. Day 1 of the Test saw 20 wickets falling while another 16 succumbed on the second. A wobbly England eventually crossed the finish line with four wickets to spare, chasing down 175.

Writing in his column for The Telegraph, the 85-year-old said no excuses should be entertained from the curator.

"The pitch had too much grass on it and failed the standard expected for a five-day Test. Batting became a lottery and all the seam bowlers had to do was get the ball straight, on a full length and let that pitch do the rest for them. That is not good enough and the curator should be held to account by his bosses. No excuses are acceptable. Talk of him being worried about the very hot weather later in the Test will not wash, as it was all over before the sun arrived."

Although England had picked a spin-bowling all-rounder in Will Jacks, Australia went in with an all-seam attack. Both sides didn't bowl a spinner and it proved to be the second Test in the series that finished within two days.

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"It was a corker" - Sir Geoffrey Boycott heaps praise on England bowler

Sir Geoffrey Boycott. (Credits: Getty)

Calling Brydon Carse a big-hearted bowler, Boycott said that his delivery to castle Travis Head in the second innings was unplayable. He elaborated in his column:

"I have written throughout the series that Brydon Carse has a big heart but he was banging the ball into the pitch too short and going for too many runs. This time, he put the ball in good areas and earned his reward with four wickets. The one he bowled Travis Head with was perfect as it pitched on the stumps, seamed away and hit the top of off stump. It was a corker and Head gave him a nod of approval as he passed him on his way out as if to say, ‘I can’t play that mate’".

The 108-Test veteran opined that Josh Tongue, who took a fifer, was the best performer as he landed the ball in the right areas and let the pitch do the work.

"For me, Josh Tongue was the best English bowler across both innings. From wide of the crease, he came at batsmen from an unusual angle but regularly pitched the ball on a fuller length and his seven wickets in the match were a fair reward," he added.

The four-wicket victory was England's first Test win Down Under in 15 years.

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Edited by Parag Jain