Ben Stokes happy to break Ashes drought but slams MCG pitch for Boxing Day Test

The excessive seam movement throughout the match made batting difficult for both as England completed a run-chase of 175 to seal victory on Saturday.

Australia were bowed out for 152 and the visitors replied with 110 all out as 20 wickets fell on the first day.

England hit back to dismiss the hosts out for 132 in the second innings before chasing the target, but not before losing six wickets.

Stokes said: "Being brutally honest, that's not really what you want. Boxing Day Test match. You don't want a game finishing in less than two days.

"Not ideal. But you can't change it once you start the game and you've just got to play what's in front of you.

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

Australia skipper Steve Smith also sais the surface was tough but was more sympathetic to MCG groundsman Matt Page.

"Obviously, it was a tricky one," Smith said. "Thirty-six wickets over two days, it probably offered just a little bit too much. It's tough as a groundsman.

"I think he's always looking for the right sort of balance, I suppose. Last year's wicket was an outstanding one, it went to day five last session.

"In an ideal world, every wicket does that and it's exciting for everyone. But yeah, maybe if you took it from 10 [millimetres] to eight, it would have been a nice, challenging wicket, maybe a little bit more even, I suppose.

"But groundsmen are always learning and yeah, he'll probably take something from that, no doubt."

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