England won the Melbourne Test inside two days.
Heading into Day 2 of the Melbourne Test, the Three Lions had a lot to do as Australia were 46 runs ahead with all 10 wickets in hand.
However, Australia’s second innings folded for 132 on a green wicket offering substantial sideways movement for pace bowlers. It left England chasing 175 to win, with Jacob Bethell (40) and Harry Brook (18*) seeing the tourists home for the loss of six wickets.
After the match, England skipper Ben Stokes said that while the players would need to deal with whatever pitch conditions they are provided with, one would not want a game to finish within two days due to the pitch conditions.
The Melbourne pitch was prepared with 10 millimetres of grass on the wicket, making it heavily favourable for the bowlers. As many as 20 wickets fell on the opening day while 16 wickets crumbled on the second day, with no batter managing to hit a half-century across the match.
“When you go out there and you are faced with those conditions, you have got to crack on and deal with it. But being brutally honest, that isn’t really what you want. You know, Boxing Day Test, you don’t want a game finishing in less than two days,” Stokes said in the post-match presser.
“It isn’t ideal, but you cannot change it once you start the game and you have just got to play what is in front of you,” he added.
Stokes also believes there would be "hell on" if a pitch like the one dished out at the MCG was presented in other parts of the world. “If that was somewhere else in the world, you know, there'd be hell on,” he remarked.
After England avoided any danger of an Ashes whitewash, Stokes also commended his team for showing a lot of character under pressure.
“Yeah, really good. It’s been a massive effort from everyone, and to come out on the right side of the result feels really special. Hopefully it means a lot. We play for a lot of people - not just ourselves. The support we get, wherever we go in the world, is incredible. The noise, the chants, the constant backing - the lads out in the middle hear it, feel it, and thrive off it. I know a lot of our fans will be buzzing right now,” Stokes said while speaking at the post-match presentation.
“(The build up to this game and how satisfying to win the game) Definitely very satisfying. There was a fair bit going on in the build-up to this match, a lot being thrown our way. For the lads to come out, stay focused, and perform the way they did says a lot about the character in this team. Huge credit to the players, support staff, and management for keeping everyone locked in on what mattered - playing good cricket,” he further stated.
The five-match Ashes series currently stands at 3-1, with the fifth and final Test scheduled to be held at SCG from January 4.