Ashes: Broad Slams MCG Pitch After 20 Wickets Fall On Day 1 Of MCG Test

Ashes: Broad slams MCG pitch after 20 wickets fall on Day 1 of MCG Test (Image Source: IANS)

Boxing Day Test: Former England pacer Stuart Broad was not impressed with the condition of the MCG pitch on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test, as the former England pacer said that "the amount of movement that this pitch has shown" has indicated that there is "something really wrong".

Following the sensational bowling performance from English fast bowler Josh Tongue, who picked up superb figures of 5-45 during Australia's first innings of 152, with the hosts responding in style to skittle England for just 110 on an action-packed opening day's play in the fourth Test that saw a total of 20 wickets fall.

It was the first time in 74 years that 20 wickets had fallen on Day 1 of a Test match down under.

"The amount of movement that this pitch has shown has indicated to me that there is something really wrong. Test match bowlers do not require this level of movement to bowl effectively in a Test match. Good Test match pitches will have good bounce but not excessive sideways movements," Broad said on Sen Cricket.

Meanwhile, Tongue created history at the Boxing Day Test when he became the first England bowler this century to collect a five-wicket haul in Men's Tests at the MCG. It was the first time an England bowler had claimed a five-wicket haul in a Test at the MCG since Darren Gough and Dean Headley did so in 1998 and Tongue was deservedly chuffed with his efforts.

"The amount of movement that this pitch has shown has indicated to me that there is something really wrong. Test match bowlers do not require this level of movement to bowl effectively in a Test match. Good Test match pitches will have good bounce but not excessive sideways movements," Broad said on Sen Cricket.

There were 94,199 spectators at the MCG on Friday, which sets a new venue record, breaking the previous record of 93,013 for the 2015 Cricket World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand.

Article Source: IANS