The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Test Cricket at the MCG, a Boxing Day tradition

Roar Guru
25th December, 2016
Advertisement
The grand final is moving to a twilight fixture (Charles Van den Broek/flickr)
Roar Guru
25th December, 2016
1

It’s Boxing Day. Christmas has come and gone. And after Santa Claus, binge eating and presents are done and dusted, we’ve got a public holiday to really heat up the summer of sport.

By tradition, it’s Test cricket that is the focus today, as Australia and Pakistan take each other on at the MCG.

There are some who suggest that Test cricket is dying. Small crowds around the world for the longer form of the game see some question its future.

But on Boxing Day we see there’s still a pulse. It’s the biggest Test cricket crowd for the year, as large numbers of people take their places in the massive MCG grandstands. As they do every year.

Starting the MCG Test on Boxing Day is a given in the sporting calendar. Even when other Tests were rescheduled at short notice after the passing of Phil Hughes two years ago, the Boxing Day Test wasn’t moved.

But it wasn’t always so.

Boxing Day Test cricket at the MCG was first played in 1950. It was the third day of a Test, coming after rest days on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Then again in 1952, which was the second day of a Test that started on Christmas Eve and had a rest day on Christmas Day.

But even though the 1950 Test pulled a crowd of 60,486 on Boxing Day, it didn’t become a regular thing. There wasn’t a touring team every year in those days, and after 1952 there wouldn’t be an MCG Boxing Day game again until 1968.

Advertisement

1968 was the first time a Test began at the MCG on Boxing Day, but just 18,766 came along for a rain-interrupted first day of an Australia vs West Indies Test, and the idea was again put on ice until 1974.

It was a blockbuster in 1974, as 77,167 people came through the turnstiles to see Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson rip through the England batting lineup. And the next year, 85,661 came along as the Aussies again dominated against the West Indies.

The next summer, with the Centenary Test scheduled for March, saw no Boxing Day Test; and with the cricketing world torn apart by the acrimonious World Series Cricket split for the next few years, Test cricket would not return to the MCG until 1980.

But steadily growing crowds, and the weight of expectation, meant that from 1980 onwards a new tradition would be created. With the exception of 1989, when a one-day international was scheduled instead of a Test, there’s been Test cricket scheduled for the MCG every year since.

In series against the West Indies in 1984 and 1988, the Tests started on Christmas Eve, with Boxing Day being the second day after a Christmas Day rest day. But every other time since then, Boxing Day has been the first day.

The 1980 day against New Zealand was nothing special, but Boxing Day came alive in 1981. A crowd of 39,982 saw Kim Hughes dig deep to score a century against the dominant West Indies team. Then in the last half hour, Dennis Lillee took control to rip through the West Indies top order to leave them 4 for 10 at stumps and set Australia up for a rare win.

1982 saw an even bigger crowd of 63,900 for the Ashes. It was a day when Chris Tavare top-scored as England batted the day for 284 and would go on to win by three runs after a last-wicket stand by Allan Border and Jeff Thomson fell agonisingly short.

Advertisement

Pakistan’s batsmen dominated in 1983 in a Test that would peter out into a dull draw. Boxing Day wasn’t the first day in 1984, in a Test when Australia hung on for dear life for a draw against the West Indies.

Just 18,146 people came along in 1985 as Australia played India. It was Steve Waugh’s Test debut, and the first time David Boon and Geoff Marsh were thrown together as an opening pair, but ended in a dull draw.

1986 saw England all but wrap up the Ashes when they skittled Australia for 141 and were not far from chasing that score down in front of 58,203 fans.

Any doubt about the appeal of Boxing Day was dispelled in 1987 when 51,807 saw Australia take on New Zealand, a game best remembered for the last-over heroics on the final day when Mike Whitney survived against Richard Hadlee to snatch a draw. But with New Zealand preferring to play at home with their own Boxing Day cricket, they haven’t played a Test at the MCG since.

The West Indies dominated in 1988 on their way to another series win. After an ODI was played on Boxing Day in 1989, Boxing Day has been the first day of the MCG Test in every year from 1990 to today. That makes today the 27th in a row.

The 26 Tests have been a successful run for Australia with the Aussies winning 19, losing four and drawing three. And there’s been plenty of highlights and lowlights.

The crowds have been strong. Except for the washout in 1993, when South Africa’s return to playing Test cricket against Australia for the first time in a generation was delayed by a day, crowds have never been below 49,000. Even in 1998, when 61,580 were through the gates as the team tossed and what looked like a passing shower set in and lasted all day, with not a ball being bowled.

Advertisement

In 1995, Boxing Day erupted into controversy as umpire Darrell Hair repeatedly no-balled Muttiah Muralidaran for throwing.

In 2006, Shane Warne achieved a slice of history, as he took his 700th Test wicket; spearheading Australia to a dominant win as England were knocked over cheaply and the Aussies hauled down the total on the opening day.

And plenty of big centuries. Justin Langer started his knock of 250 in 2002, while his opening partner Matthew Hayden had a run of impressive big scores in Boxing Day Tests, raising his bat for a century six times.

Virender Sehwag had a memorable innings in 2003, as he smashed the ball to all parts of the ground in a knock of 195 at virtually a run a ball. But Ricky Ponting would go better with an innings of 257 to launch Australia to a comfortable win.

And so many more memorable moments in this day after Christmas, this day when the tradition of Test cricket lives strongly on. As long as there is a healthy Boxing Day crowd at the MCG, speculation of the imminent demise of Test cricket remains greatly exaggerated.

Last year it was a big day for Australia. Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja dominated all day to bring up centuries as Australia made 3 for 345 on their way to another big win.

And what will this year bring? Tens of thousands will be at the MCG, and huge numbers of people will be watching on TV to find out.

Advertisement

I won’t be there this year, but I’ll be watching with interest on TV. The glorious thwack of leather hitting willow in its most traditional and historic form.

close