MCG Pitch Would Unleash ‘Hell’ Elsewhere In The World

England wrapped up the fourth Test, the second two-day Test in the series, inside just two days. The pitching was not dangerous, but the constant seam movement made batting extremely difficult. It was also the first Test in Australia since 1932 in which no batter reached a half-century.

"Being brutally honest, that's not really what you want," Stokes said. "Boxing Day Test match. You don't want a game finishing in less than two days. Not ideal. But you can't change it once you start the gam,e and you've just got to play what's in front of you.

"But I'm pretty sure if that was somewhere else in the world, there'd be hell on. Not the best thing for games that should be played over five days. But we played a type of cricket that ended up getting the job done."

When asked if he was referring to pitches on the subcontinent, Stokes kept his reply short.

"It's your words, not mine," Stokes said.

And when questioned about what he would tell the match referee, he didn’t hide his thoughts.

"It won't be the best," he said.

Smith Takes A Diplomatic Stance

Australia captain Steven Smith took a more measured tone, acknowledging the challenges but avoiding harsh criticism. Australia had already selected an all-seam attack, an early sign they expected plenty of movement.

"Obviously, it was a tricky one," Smith said. "Thirty-six wickets over two days, it probably offered just a little bit too much. It's tough as a groundsman. I think he's always looking for the right sort of balance, I suppose. Last year's wicket was an outstanding one, it went to day five last session.”

"In an ideal world, every wicket does that and it's exciting for everyone. But yeah, maybe if you took it from 10 [millimetres] to eight, it would have been a nice, challenging wicket, maybe a little bit more even, I suppose. But groundsmen are always learning, and yeah, he'll probably take something from that, no doubt."

No Spin, All Seam And A New Test Cricket Talking Point

This was also the first Test in Australia where spinners did not bowl a single ball.
Australia has leaned toward pace throughout the series, with Nathan Lyon barely used in Perth as well.

"A lot of the wickets we're playing on now, I think spin has been ... it's the easiest thing to face on some of these wickets that are offering a lot of seam," Smith said. "It's almost to the point where, why would you bowl it when you could leak 30 or 40 runs quickly if they decide to play positively, and the game shifts immediately?"

He added that some venues this season have still provided variety, but Melbourne was not one of them.

"And then this one, spin didn't look like getting a chance to bowl. So I don't know whether it's something that can be spoken about. I love seeing spinners play a part in the game, but right now, why would you?"