Last Updated on 2 months ago by Charbel Coorey

There was another remarkable day of red-ball cricket at the MCG, this time in the Sheffield Shield as 17 wickets fell on day one of Victoria’s clash with Queensland. This has once again put the MCG pitch in the spotlight a little over a month after the Boxing Day Test finished inside two days.

Hosts Victoria finished 61/7 in reply to Queensland’s 149 on a pitch that offered assistance for the seam bowlers. They had remarkably fell to 11/5 although there were a couple of loose shots and very questionable umpiring decisions.

Michael Neser (3/9 off nine overs) and Tom Straker (2/24 off 11 overs) were the chief destroyers for Queensland after Sam Elliott (4/43), David Moody (3/24) and Fergus O’Neill (2/25) starred for Victoria.

This makes it 53 wickets in the last three days of First Class cricket at the iconic venue.

Peter Handscomb defends MCG pitch after 17 wickets fall on day one of Shield match

Victoria captain leapt to the defence of the MCG pitch and curator Matt Page. Handscomb, who came in at number four, remained unbeaten on 25 off 67 balls.

“I still think it’s a good wicket,” said Handscomb, as quoted by cricket.com.au.

“I back Pagey (Matt Page) in with what he’s done here over the last four or five years. I think the wicket has been really, really good.

“Even that Test wicket, I still think was a good wicket. I think we can maybe jump at shadows a little bit here and blame it all on the wicket. Generally, an MCG wicket when you (bat) on day one, if you score 200 runs, you’re happy.”

Michael Neser echoed similar thoughts. The Queensland opening bowler said the surface – which had 3mm less grass than the Boxing Day pitch – wasn’t doing too much.

“I don’t think it was doing as much,” said Neser. “The (Shield) wicket actually looks half decent but it did do a bit when we were out there. It’s tricky one. I think we’ll judge how it pans out tomorrow.

“It was obviously tricky (to bat on). It was doing a bit here and there. But then there were moments where you felt actually quite comfortable and you could score.”

Curator Page faced the media on what was meant to be day three of the fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England; a match that left fans very frustrated. The ICC gave the pitch an “unsatisfactory” rating.

Victoria will begin day two seeking to get as close as possible to Queensland’s first innings total. Peter Handscomb’s team currently sit top of the Sheffield Shield table with five wins in six matches. Queensland are second with two wins, two draws and two losses from their six games.