Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden SLAM Gabba surface that produced 34 wickets in TWO days

Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden led criticism of a green wicket at the Gabba after Australia wrapped up a six-wicket win against South Africa in two days in farcical circumstances.

Skittled for 152 on Day One, the tourists were all out for 99 shortly after tea on Day Two, leaving Australia needing 34 to win and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Travis Head and South Africa wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne were the only two players to make a half-century, with an astonishing 34 wickets falling in under six sessions in Brisbane.

The Aussies, however, still lost four wickets in the second digs, with Kagiso Rabada taking 4-13 to remove David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and Head.

The match lasted 144.2 overs and was the first Test in Australia to end within two days since the West Indies were routed in Melbourne in 1931.

Speaking after the game, Ponting was critical of the surface, which he believes will be ranked ‘poor’ by the International Cricket Council match referee Richie Richardson.

‘I haven’t seen one as green,’ Ponting said of the wicket.

Ricky Ponting (left) felt the pitch at the Gabba was too conducive to seam bowling, while Matthew Hayden (right) noted the wicket was unnecessarily green

Gabba curator David Sandurski admitted the surface in Brisbane was not up to scratch

‘Matthew Hayden played here more than me, and he hasn’t seen one as green and Justin Langer said he hasn’t seen one as green […] there was excessive seam movement.

‘These are very, very good bowling teams, no doubt, but I don’t think that the batting teams are that bad.’

Hayden, who called the Gabba home throughout his domestic career, was similarly critical of the surface, noting there was far too much grass on the wicket.

‘In my opinion, it started too green,’ he said. ‘And that’s from someone who has seen this [pitch] from a very young age.

South Africa skipper Dean Elgar felt the surface could become dangerous for players

Elgar faced a total of 14 balls across his two innings for a combined score of five

‘There is no need to make it so full of grass, such heavy grass content. Because it seamed too much.’

Proteas captain Dean Elgar, who faced a total of 14 balls across his two innings for a combined score of five, lambasted the surface as a poor advertisement for Test cricket.

‘You’ve got to ask yourself the question, is that a good advertisement for our format?,’ he told ABC.

‘I’m obviously a purist of this format, you want to see the game go four, five days.

But Australia captain Pat Cummins insisted the Brisbane deck was ‘fine’ and not dangerous

The Aussie skipper finished with five wickets in the second innings and 7-77 for the match

‘Just the way the nature of it, how it started to play, with some seriously steep bounce with the old ball, you’re kind of on a hiding to none as a batting unit.

‘If you think about it only two batsmen, maybe three batsmen only applied themselves half decently and scored some decent runs.

‘I did ask the umpires: “How long does it go on for until it potentially is unsafe?” I don’t think it was a very good Test wicket.’

And Gabba curator David Sandurski admitted the surface in Brisbane was not up to scratch with the requirements of Test cricket.

Kagiso Rabada took four wickets as Australia chased 34 to win in their second innings

‘The proof is in the pudding,’ he told News Corp.

‘The scorecards are there. You can’t deny it. It is obviously not good enough for a match of this magnitude.

‘I am obviously disappointed. No-one wants to have a two day Test. All the signs in the preparation pointed towards it being a reasonable wicket.’

But Australia skipper Pat Cummins insisted the pitch ‘was fine’, although he conceded the short-lived nature of the contest was not ideal.

Marnus Labuschagne (left) and Cameron Green (right) eventually saw the Aussies home

‘It was certainly tricky.

‘I don’t think the toss had a big factor in the win because everything happened so quickly. Two days probably isn’t ideal.

‘I kind of don’t mind when the groundsman err on the greener side occasionally, I’ve played a lot of Test matches when they’ve erred on the flatter side so I think it was the same for both teams.

‘No way [was it dangerous], it was fine.’