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Cricket Australia's head of operations Peter Roach says MCG curators now know what they can and can't do after a Sheffield Shield match was abandoned on Sunday.
Cricket Australia officials have contacted their New Zealand counterparts to reassure them the Boxing Day pitch will be up to standard despite the MCG's Sheffield Shield farce.
CA's head of operations Peter Roach admitted on Monday that curator Matt Page had gone too far in an attempt to liven up the often dead wicket before the clash between Victoria and Western Australia was abandoned.
Warriors duo Shaun Marsh and Marcus Stoinis had to undergo concussion tests after balls spat up dangerously from the deck on Saturday and hit them on the head.
Roach says the aim is to create unique characteristics at individual Australian cricket grounds, but concedes Page and his staff went a little bit too far in their attempts to produce more movement in the wicket.
Page and his ground staff now know what they can and can't do ahead of Australia's Boxing Day Test against New Zealand.
Roach made contact with New Zealand officials after the match was abandoned to reassure them that the pitch will be of a high standard for the match, which will take place on a strip that has not been used in the Shield this season.
"We want to see more movement in that wicket and more action in those early days of the Test match," Roach told SEN on Monday.
"They (the curators) have gone on the path to try and do that. This time they went a little bit far, but the learning from that is that they now know what they can and can't do.
"We've got confidence for the Test match on Boxing Day and we look forward to the 26th of December.
"We don't tailor (pitches) to our own teams' needs. What we want our grounds to do is to produce their own unique characteristics.
"With the MCG, what we've highlighted is that we want it to have some pace and bounce and some sideways movement."
Optus Stadium chief Mike McKenna has made no secret of Perth's desire to host the Boxing Day Test in the future if the MCG is deemed not up to scratch.
It's highly unlikely that will ever occur, and star Australian batsman Steve Smith doesn't want the MCG to ever lose the marquee Test.
"I'd love for it to stay," Smith said.
"It's been a part of tradition of Australian cricket for a long time.
"I've had some of my great memories in cricket walking out there on the first morning of Boxing Day and listening to the anthems. You get a shiver down your spine.
"The Boxing Day Test in Melbourne is something I look forward to every year. It's a great occasion and I'd love for Melbourne to keep it."
