England’s greats have criticized the pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground after a dramatic opening day of the Boxing Day Ashes Test, which was dominated by the bowlers. Both Australia and England were bowled out in the first innings on Friday, with 20 wickets falling in just 76.1 overs.
Asked to bat first, Australia were bowled out for 152 in 45.2 overs, with Josh Tongue claiming five wickets. In response, the hosts bundled out England for 110 in 29.5 overs to secure a 42-run lead in the first innings. At stumps on the first day, Australia extended that advantage to 46 runs.
After a day where bowlers ruled, former England pacer Stuart Broad said that bowlers can still be effective on better pitches. Broad, who will retire in 2023, explained that good Test wickets offer pace and bounce but do not facilitate excessive or unpredictable movement throughout the day.
Ashes Boxing Day Test Day 1 | Scorecard
“The pitch does too much, to be brutally honest. Test match bowlers don’t need that much movement to look threatening. Pitches in big Test matches generally bounce, but they don’t rip all over the place,” Broad said on commentary on SEN Radio.
UNFAIR COMPETITION
Alastair Cook, considered one of England’s best batsmen along with Joe Root, said the bowlers did not have to bend their backs to take wickets and felt the match between bat and ball was unfair. While he hoped the pitch would level out as the game progressed, Cook admitted the chances of that happening don’t look likely.
“The bowlers didn’t have to work hard on their wickets. It was an unfair contest. I don’t know how you hit it (the ball). If it’s even tomorrow then that’s fine, it’s going to be an even game for three or four days. But I don’t think it’s particularly even,” Cook said.
For Australia, Michael Neser, playing his first red-ball Test for the hosts, was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 10-1-45-4. Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc scored three and two wickets respectively. Heading into Day 2, Australia will feel they have a nose in front in a contest where running has proved difficult.
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
December 26, 2025
