The pitch for the two-day Ashes opener at Perth Stadium received the ICC’s highest rating of “very good”, even though recent Test surfaces in India were rated only “satisfactory” under the governing body’s rating system.
Despite the match being over in two days and producing 19 wickets on the opening day, match referee Ranjan Madugalle judged that the Perth surface provided a fair contest between bat and ball. In comparison, match referee Andy Pycroft rated the pitches used for the India–West Indies Tests in Ahmedabad and Delhi as satisfactory, although those matches lasted three and almost five days.
According to the ICC’s four-tier system, “very good” reflects good pitching, limited seam movement and consistent early-match bounce, allowing both batsmen and bowlers to stay in the game. Perth was deemed to meet these standards despite a quick finish, with only 847 balls bowled, making it the second shortest Test completed in Australia and the shortest Ashes Test bowled since 1888.
Pace dominated the first three innings. Mitchell Starc took 7 for 58 as England slipped from 160 for 5 on the opening afternoon before the visitors came back to reduce Australia to 123 for 9 at stumps with Ben Stokes claiming five wickets. England stretched their lead to 105 the next morning with nine wickets in hand, but Scott Boland broke the middle order to trigger another collapse.
Set 205, Australia reached their target in just 29 oversTravis Head smashed 123 off 83 balls after being promoted to open in place of the injured Usman Khawaja. The increase in runs supported the view that the surface was improving as the match progressed, similar to last season’s Test against India at the venue.
“This wicket, it’s going to improve a bit, I think at the end of the second day it’s probably the best for the game late tonight, we saw the same last year,” Australia captain Steven Smith said.
The verdict comes amid a wider debate over pitch preparation, which comes shortly after another fast-paced match between India and South Africa in Kolkata. The ICC has not yet released a rating for this surface.
The early end in Perth is expected to cost Cricket Australia an estimated AU$3–4 million in lost gate revenue.
“The umpire’s rating of ‘very good’ justifies our belief that Perth Stadium produced a pitch that provided a fair balance between bat and ball,” said James Allsopp, Cricket Australia’s head of cricket. “The dominance of brilliant pace bowling from both sides and the frenetic nature of the competition meant that the match only lasted two days. This was disappointing for fans who had tickets for days three and four, but we saw some incredible moments that captivated the huge crowd.”
The focus now shifts to the day-night Test at the Gabba starting next Thursday, where curator Dave Sandurski expects a surface that will go the distance.
“The wicket dries out a lot faster, so you have to make sure you keep enough moisture in it to last five days,” he said. “The aim is to provide a goal where all players get a chance to showcase their skills, so hopefully all aspects of the game come into play.”
The Gabba hosted a two-day Test against South Africa in 2022–23, which received a “below average” rating and a penalty point under the old system, but there have been no problems with the venue since then, with subsequent Tests against the West Indies and India proceeding without similar concerns.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
November 27, 2025
