Cricket Australia Warns Short Tests Hurt Business After MCG Wickets Frenzy

Cricket Australia chief Todd Greenberg has called short Test matches “bad for business” following the dramatic first day of the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Over 94,000 spectators witnessed 20 wickets tumble on Friday, with Australia bowled out for 152 and England dismissed for just 110.

The carnage continued into Saturday morning, with Australia losing six more wickets by lunch, bringing the total to 26 in just 98 overs. It marked the most wickets to fall on the first day of an Ashes Test since 1909, and came after a similarly rapid two-day finish in Perth earlier in the series, which cost Cricket Australia millions in revenue.

Greenberg expressed concern over the trend of short Tests, noting that while fans experienced exciting cricket, the financial impact on the governing body was significant. “Short Tests are bad for business. I can’t be much more blunt than that,” he said on SEN radio, emphasizing the need for a better balance between bat and ball to ensure sustainable commercial success.

The Melbourne pitch, prepared with 10 millimetres of grass, favoured bowlers with extra movement and bounce under overcast conditions. Former players, including Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook, criticized the wicket, calling it “a joke” and “an unfair contest,” highlighting the challenge of maintaining competitive yet commercially viable pitches.

While Australian curators traditionally operate independently, Greenberg hinted that Cricket Australia may take a more hands-on approach in the future to safeguard both the quality of cricket and its commercial interests. “It’s hard not to get more involved when you see the impact on the sport, especially commercially,” he added.

The MCG day-one spectacle has reignited debate about pitch preparation in Australia and the broader implications for Test cricket, underscoring the tension between thrilling cricketing contests and the financial realities of the sport.