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'Unfair' MCG pitch has 'done too much' - Vaughan
The pitch for the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne has "done too much" and has resulted in an "unfair" contest between bat and ball, says former England captain Michael Vaughan.
Twenty wickets fell at the MCG on a chaotic opening day of the Boxing Day Test as Australia were bowled out for 152 before England were skittled for 110.
It was the most wickets to fall on the first day of an Ashes Test since 1909, and eclipsed the 19 on the first day of the first Test of this series in Perth.
Analysts CricViz calculated 48% of the deliveries seamed more than 0.75 degrees on day one in Melbourne.
In the last decade of Test cricket in Australia, only four Tests have seen a larger amount of high-seaming deliveries on the first day.
Vaughan acknowledged the 94,199 crowd at the venue will have "gone home royally entertained" but said it "isn't Test cricket on this type of pitch".
"We're always looking for a fair balance between bat and ball. I thought that was unfair for the batters," Vaughan told Test Match Special.
The pitch has done plenty. There's been plenty of movement out there. It's not been easy for both sides but I don't like seeing a pitch do so much.
The overall PitchViz rating of the day's play at the MCG was 8.7 out of 10 (higher number equals more difficult to bat) - making it the second toughest day-one pitch in Australia in the past 101 Tests when there have been 40-plus overs played.
Australia have a 46-run lead but Vaughan said this is England's "best chance" of winning a Test during what has been a difficult series.
"They are a good chasing side. We have had three heavy rollers already and there will be another one tomorrow morning," he said.
This England team can chase. Australia are favourites, but don't rule England out.
Melbourne Cricket Club groundsman Matt Page left 10mm of grass on the pitch, which is considered long by regular standards, although he said it was the same formula that produced the fifth-day finish against India last year.
On the eve of the match Australia skipper Steve Smith said the pitch was "quite furry, quite green" and predicted movement off the seam.
BBC chief cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew believes the pitch "nipped" but was "not a minefield".
However, former Australia seamer Glenn McGrath said the surface had "far too much grass on it" for his liking.
He said: "That pitch has too much life in it for Test cricket. It was 10mm of grass when I think 7mm would have been better, but I think he [the groundsman] was more concerned with what was happening on days three, four and five.
The weather is getting warmer, which will have an impact on top of the rollers. So, it could get to the stage where England are batting in the fourth innings in the best batting conditions of the match.
Following the 2017 Boxing Day Test, when only 24 wickets fell across the five days, the showcase festive match has not produced a draw in the seven matches since.
The previous Ashes Test in Melbourne, in 2021, was over inside three days when England were dismissed for 185 and 68 as Scott Boland inspired the Aussies to victory.
Former England skipper Sir Alastair Cook told TNT Sports the pitch was "heavily weighted towards the bowlers" who "didn't have to work that hard" to take wickets.
"You put it in the right area it's going to nip either way. I actually think it's a bit of an unfair contest," Cook said.
I was watching some of the bowling on that pitch and I was thinking 'how do you face that?'
Despite the wicket helping the bowlers, Vaughan felt "indifferent batting" contributed to the low scores, with "question marks" over the technique of modern players.
"We are seeing Test matches like this where the pitch does a little - whether it's spin or seam - and batters can't cope with the movement," Vaughan added.
When the ball does something the technical side we've been accustomed to for many generations has gone from both sets of players.
Source: BBC
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