It is unlikely that the groundsman made a late switch of pitches ahead of the very first Test here at the MCG nor was then forced to deny that he was in collusion with the selectors.
Yet never since Australia could only muster 104 at this famous ground in 1877 have they plumbed the depths of today's startling fourth Test capitulation in an Ashes Test here.
This has been an Ashes series of extremes but nothing has been as extraordinary as Australia's crash to 98 all out in the face of accurate, intelligent but hardly devastating seam and swing bowling from an England attack minus two of its first choice fast bowlers for this series.
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