MCG curator Matt Page 'shocked' by two-day Ashes Test

Matt Page, the Melbourne Cricket Ground curator, admitted he was left stunned by how the Boxing Day Test panned out, with the much-awaited Ashes fixture ending inside two days on a seam-friendly surface that produced 20 wickets on the opening day alone.

"I was in a state of shock after the first day, to see everything that happened, 20 wickets in a day," Page said. "I've never been involved in a Test match like it, and hopefully will never be involved in a Test match like it again."

Page's pitch preparation, which involved leaving around 10mm of grass on the surface as opposed to 7mm last year against India, came under scrutiny after the match saw 36 wickets fall across just 142 overs. England wrapped up their first Test win in Australia since 2011 late on day two, leaving organisers to deal with a significant financial hit, especially with a sold-out third day now going to waste. Both captains were also critical of the pitch for offering too much to the seam bowlers.

The curator said he was disappointed by the early finish but stressed that his aim had been to strike a balance between bat and ball. "Every year is different and the margins are very small, but in the back of your mind, you're always trying to provide that contest," he said. "We're about trying to provide captivating Test cricket, that balance between bat and ball going four or five days."

Page accepted responsibility for the outcome and said lessons would be taken from the experience. "We've produced a Test that's been captivating, but it hasn't gone long enough and we'll take ownership of that," he said. "We'll learn from it, we'll grow, and we'll make sure that we'll get it right next year."

Page also pointed to the challenges unique to the venue. He said removing too much grass could leave the surface flat and unresponsive like the one during the 2017 Ashes, when Alastair Cook compiled an unbeaten double hundred in a dull draw.

"If we don't have seam movement here at the MCG, we become very dull, very lifeless and very flat, which is no good for the players, no good for the spectators, and no good for the game," he said.

With the ICC match referee yet to deliver his verdict on the surface, Page now faces a nervous wait.