While Ben Stokes was delighted to see England on the right side of a quickfire fourth Test against Australia, he believes there would have been "hell" to pay if any other nation produced a playing surface like the one at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Australia lost their Boxing Day Test – a marquee event in the calendar each year – within just two days of play, ending their hopes of a 5-0 Ashes whitewash.  

Though the hosts are still assured of retaining the urn, the bowler-friendly surface used for the match has led to criticism of head groundsman Matthew Page.

Cricket Australia will reportedly lose out on $10m (£5m) in revenue due to the match finishing early, with a sell-out crowd having been expected on day three.

Australia only faced 479 balls in the fourth Test, their fewest in a match since the Brisbane Test in the 1928 Ashes, which saw them bowled out twice in 457 deliveries.

This comes after the opening Test of the series – in Perth – also finished inside two days of play, causing Stokes to suggest other nations would face serious condemnation for producing such one-sided surfaces.

"With 36 wickets in less than two days and no total over 200, I think you can read a lot into that," Stokes said afterwards. 

"If that was another condition somewhere else and that happened, you probably would get a pasting.

"I'm pretty sure if that was somewhere else in the world there'd be hell on.

"It is not the best thing for games that should be played over five days, but we played a type of cricket that ended up getting the job done."

 "Today, as much as it means to us as players, I know what that’s going to mean to all the travelling fans."

Our skipper hails our incredible support and reflects on victory in the Boxing Day Test  pic.twitter.com/en7wTxJorG

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 27, 2025

Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith also suggested the decision to leave 10mm of grass on the pitch was an error. 

"We let them judge it and do what they see fit," said Smith. "I said before the game it looked like it was going to offer a fair amount, and it probably did more than we thought it was going to.

"It's tough as a groundsman, they're always looking for the right balance. 

"Maybe if he took it from 10mm to eight it would have been a nice, challenging wicket, maybe a little bit more even. Groundsmen are always learning and maybe he'll take something from that."