Devastation on the first day of Melbourne Test (Photo-GETTY IMAGES)

AUS vs ENG: On Boxing Day, something happened at the Melbourne Cricket Ground that no one would have really thought of. Usually a lot of runs are scored on this historic ground but in the fourth Ashes Test being played between England and Australia, the Melbourne pitch proved to be a graveyard for the batsmen. On the very first day of the Melbourne Test, only 75.1 overs were bowled and during this period 20 wickets fell. First Australia collapsed for only 152 runs and then England surrendered for 110 runs. A record of 131 years was broken with the fall of 20 wickets on the first day in Melbourne.

This happened for the first time in 131 years

melbourne test 94,119 people came to the stadium on the first day and the batsmen of England and Australia surrendered in front of them. It became difficult for the batsmen to survive on the slippery pitch of Melbourne; no batsman scored a half-century. Harry Brook was the top scorer by scoring 41 runs, 13 batsmen could not even reach double figures. Let us tell you that the last time the miracle of 20 wickets falling on the first day in Melbourne had happened in 1894-95. At that time 20 wickets had fallen for just 198 runs.

10 mm grass caused havoc

You will be surprised to know that 10 mm of grass was left on the Melbourne pitch, which is 2-3 mm more than the previous match. This match took place between India and Australia and the test match lasted for five days. But this time the Melbourne curator left 10 mm of grass and the best score of the top 4 batsmen of Australia-England team was only 13 runs.

All in a day's play at the MCG! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/PxJI5ti5Yd

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2025

Mark Waugh criticized the pitch

Let us tell you that former cricketer Mark Waugh did not like the pitch of Melbourne. He said that this time this pitch was helping the bowlers too much. Waugh told Fox Sports, ,I want to see a battle between bat and ball but I felt that this pitch was helping the bowlers too much. There was a lot of grass on this pitch. On this pitch the ball was coming at two types of paces. This was very difficult for the batsmen.,