MELBOURNE, March 23 (Reuters) - Australia's cricket board will resist calls to exert greater control over the nation's test wickets despite a pair of two-day matches during the Ashes that cost the local game millions of dollars. The first Ashes test against England at Perth Stadium and the fourth at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) were decided in two days, prompting widespread criticism of the pitches' preparation. "It's inconceivable that we could ever control much more than we do now," Roach told reporters on Monday. "Because they wouldn't know the characteristics and the climate and how those pitches respond to that." Test matches last up to five days, with most finishing within four.

Source: Mint March 23, 2026 11:18 UTC