The ICC has awarded Perth Stadium’s Ashes pitch its second-highest mark, “very good”, despite the Test finishing inside 847 balls and just over six sessions.
Nineteen wickets tumbled on day one, Mitchell Starc collected 7 for 58 and, by stumps on the second evening, Travis Head’s brisk 123 from 83 deliveries had carried Australia to a seven-wicket win. At that point, more tickets were un-refunded than balls left to be bowled.
Match referee Ranjan Madugalle’s report judged the strip to have “good carry, limited seam movement, and consistent bounce early”, wording that sits neatly in the ICC’s definition of a balanced surface. That conclusion has raised eyebrows, yet it mirrors the governing body’s recent reluctance to punish lively tracks unless they misbehave – excessive variable bounce or exaggerated sideways movement remains the red flag, not brevity alone.
James Allsopp, Cricket Australia’s head of cricket, welcomed the finding. “The match referee’s “very good” rating justifies our belief Perth Stadium produced a pitch that provided a fair balance between bat and ball,” he said. “The dominance of some brilliant pace bowling from both sides and the frenetic nature of the contest meant the match lasted only two days.” He added: “This was disappointing for fans holding tickets for days three and four, but we saw some incredible moments which captivated huge viewing audiences and will inspire even more kids to pick up a bat and ball this summer.” A crowd of just under 45,000 had been expected across the lost third and fourth days, costing Cricket Australia somewhere around AU$3-4 million in walk-up sales and catering.
For Steven Smith, the pitch simply matured quicker than either dressing-room managed. “This wicket, it kind of gets better I think at the end of day two, it’s probably at its best for the game late this evening … we saw similar last year as well,” the home captain observed, suggesting that England, dismissed for 181 and 138, might have pushed on themselves had they survived the early nip and bounce.
England’s seamers appeared to have done the harder yards when they reduced Australia to 123 for 9 at the close on day one – Ben Stokes grabbed five. Scott Boland swung the pendulum back next morning with a three-wicket burst and, from that point, Head’s promotion to opener in place of the injured Usman Khawaja looked a master-stroke rather than a gamble. His assault on anything over-pitched meant Australia chased 205 in fewer than 29 overs, the sort of one-day tempo rarely associated with Ashes run-chases.
The debate has quickly moved north to Brisbane, where the second Test starts under lights next Thursday. Gabba curator Dave Sandurski sounded calm about the extra scrutiny. “All indications are there is a bit of heat around,” he told AAP earlier this week. “The wicket will dry out a lot quicker so you’ve got to make sure you keep enough moisture in it to last five days.” Queensland’s humid evenings often aid swing, but Sandurski has historically left enough grass for pace without producing the prolonged sideways movement seen at Perth.
Allsopp expects another contest with individual character. “As always, we want to ensure pitches across Australia have their own characteristics and we’re looking forward to another enthralling contest under lights at the Gabba starting next Thursday,” he said.
Meanwhile, the ICC is still to release its verdict on Kolkata, where India beat South Africa inside three days on a surface that offered far less consistent bounce than Perth. Administrators are wary of a perception gap: quick finishes in Australia tend to be applauded for aggressive cricket; the same in spin-friendly countries is often condemned.
For all the official ratings and financial calculations, the wider question nags: how short can a Test be before it stops feeling like a Test? Purists may frown, broadcasters love the drama, and players will always chase victory in the conditions provided. Perth has merely reminded everyone that a match’s length is not the sole measure of its quality – even if ticket-holders trudging back to the car park after two days need some convincing.
