England won a game of cricket at the MCG on Saturday. Technically, it was an Ashes Test match, but by most other measures this game was quite a bit less than that.

Occupying just 142 total overs and about 12 hours, play lasted for about the same amount of time as a typical two-day club game.

The last time two or more Ashes Tests were decided inside two days in the same series was in England in 1888. The three games at Lord’s, the Oval and Old Trafford all ended in two days, as the home side won 2-1 under the captaincy of W.G. Grace.

Travis Head is bowled by Brydon Carse.Credit: AP

But those games were scheduled to be played over just three days, on uncovered pitches, in an era well before radio, television and cricket’s overt commercialisation. Suffice to say, the loss of those days of play cost relatively little in the way of money.

This time around, the hectic rush of wickets on an over-juiced pitch did not just cost numerous batsmen a little bit of their reputations.

Cricket Australia will be measuring the cost in millions – upwards of $10 million in revenue for two days of lost content – while circa 90,000 spectators planning to come here on day 3 will be dolefully making other plans. One senior CA figure had a flight scheduled to Sydney for Saturday night. They had not factored in seeing the game’s final ball.

Among those left........

© The Sydney Morning Herald