The cricket pitch at the Great Barrier Reef Arena (Ray Mitchell Oval, Harrup Park) in Mackay produced one of the most dramatic Test matches in recent Australian cricket, with 30 wickets falling in just 125 overs and the contest finishing inside two days. Yet the surface is reportedly on course to receive the highest possible rating.
According to 7Cricket chief cricket reporter Tom Morris, match referee Sir Richie Richardson is expected to grade the Great Barrier Reef Arena pitch as “very good”, subject to ICC approval.
“Very good” is the highest of the ICC’s four pitch ratings. It is intended for surfaces that provide good carry, limited seam movement and consistent bounce early in the match, allowing both batters and bowlers a reasonable contest.
The numbers from Mackay, however, make the assessment difficult to ignore. Bangladesh was bowled out for 64 in their first innings and 95 in their second, while Australia made 210. Only Cameron Green passed 50 in the entire Test, with 67.
Mitchell Starc was the dominant force, finishing with a 10-wicket match haul after taking 6/12 in the first innings and 4/39 in the second. Josh Hazlewood, meanwhile, took only one wicket across Bangladesh’s two innings but did not believe the surface alone explained the rapid finish.
The Mackay rating is particularly notable given the recent history of short Tests in Australia. The opening Ashes Test in Perth last summer also ended inside two days, with 32 wickets falling, including 19 on the first day. Despite that, the Perth pitch was also awarded a “very good” rating.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has now questioned whether Australian pitches receive the same level of scrutiny as surfaces in the subcontinent.
“Normally when we play in the subcontinent and 18-19 wickets fall in a day, there is a lot of talk, everyone speaks up. Eighteen wickets fell on Day 1 here too,” Shanto said.
His comments come amid a broader concern for Test cricket. Three of Australia’s last seven home Tests have reportedly finished within two days, including the Perth and Melbourne Ashes Tests, with short matches also carrying financial consequences for host broadcasters and Cricket Australia.
The debate ultimately comes down to what constitutes a good Test pitch. A surface does not necessarily become poor simply because it produces a result quickly, but 30 wickets in 125 overs and only one fifty inevitably raise questions about whether the balance between bat and ball was maintained.
If Mackay does receive a “very good” rating, it will add another layer to the growing debate over how Test pitches are assessed across different cricketing conditions.
