Boxing Day Test
The Boxing Day Test match is a cricket Test match hosted in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia involving the Australian cricket team and an opposing national team which is touring Australia that summer. It begins annually on Boxing Day (26 December) and is played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Every four years, the Boxing Day Test forms part of the 5-match Ashes series with England.
History
By long tradition the Victoria-New South Wales Sheffield Shield match included Boxing Day at the MCG as one of the scheduled days of play, much to the chagrin of the NSW players who missed Christmas with their families as a result. In the 1950–51 Ashes series the Melbourne Test was held on the 22–27 December, with the third day's play being on Boxing Day, but no Boxing Day Tests were played in Melbourne between 1953 and 1967. As there were six Tests in the 1974–75 Ashes series to fit them all in the Third Test at Melbourne was scheduled to start on Boxing Day, beginning the modern tradition. In 1980 the Melbourne Cricket Club and the Australian cricket team secured the rights to play the match annually.[1]
Boxing Day One Day International
In 1989, a One Day International was played instead of a Test match, involving Australia and Sri Lanka, which Australia won by 30 runs.[2]
List of Boxing Day Test matches
Year | Opposition team | Result | Boxing Day Crowd | Total Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|
1950[3] | England | Australia won by 28 runs[4] | 60,486[5] | 191,197[5] |
1952[6] | South Africa | South Africa won by 82 runs | 24,609 | 120,314[5] |
1968 | West Indies | Australia won by an innings and 30 runs | 18,766 | 113,376 |
1974 | England | Draw | 77,167 | 250,750[5] |
1975 | West Indies | Australia won by 8 wickets | 85,661 | 222,755[5] |
1980 | New Zealand | Draw | 28,671 | 82,745 |
1981 | West Indies | Australia won by 58 runs | 39,982 | 134,081[5] |
1982 | England | England won by 3 runs | 63,900 | 214,882[5] |
1983 | Pakistan | Draw | 40,277 | 111,611[5] |
1984[7] | West Indies | Draw | 15,504 (25,555 Day 1) | 97,271[5] |
1985 | India | Draw | 18,146 | 77,715[5] |
1986 | England | England won by an innings and 14 runs | 58,203 | 107,817[5] |
1987 | New Zealand | Draw | 51,807 | 127,184[5] |
1988[6] | West Indies | West Indies won by 258 runs | 26,287 | 108,408[5] |
1990 | England | Australia won by 9 wickets | 49,763 | 129,530[5] |
1991 | India | Australia won by 8 wickets | 42,494 | 89,369[5] |
1992 | West Indies | Australia won by 139 runs | 28,397 | 83,320[5] |
1993 | South Africa | Draw | 15,604 (rain) | 48,565[5] |
1994[6] | England | Australia won by 295 runs | 51,620 | 144,492[5] |
1995 | Sri Lanka | Australia won by 10 wickets | 55,239 | 105,388[5] |
1996 | West Indies | West Indies won by 6 wickets | 72,891 | 131,671[5] |
1997 | South Africa | Draw | 73,812 | 160,182[5] |
1998 | England | England won by 12 runs | 61,580 | 159,031[5] |
1999 | India | Australia won by 180 runs | 49,082 (rain) | 134,554[5] |
2000 | West Indies | Australia won by 352 runs | 73,233 | 133,299[5] |
2001 | South Africa | Australia won by 9 wickets | 61,796 | 153,025[5] |
2002 | England | Australia won by 5 wickets | 64,189 | 177,658[5] |
2003 | India | Australia won by 9 wickets | 62,613 | 179,662[5] |
2004 | Pakistan | Australia won by 9 wickets | 61,552 | 129,079[5] |
2005 | South Africa | Australia won by 184 runs | 71,910 | 192,337[5] |
2006 | England | Australia won by an innings and 99 runs | 89,155[8] | 244,351[5] |
2007 | India | Australia won by 337 runs | 68,465[9] | 166,663[9] |
2008 | South Africa | South Africa won by 9 wickets | 63,263[9] | 174,246[9] |
2009 | Pakistan | Australia won by 170 runs | 59,206[9] | 156,267[9] |
2010 | England | England won by an innings and 157 runs | 84,345[9] | 240,156[9] |
2011 | India | Australia won by 122 runs[10] | 70,068[9] | 189,347[10] |
2012 | Sri Lanka | Australia won by an innings and 201 runs | 67,138[9] | 137,455[9] |
2013 | England | Australia won by 8 wickets | 91,112[9] | 271,865[9] |
2014 | India | |||
Other Boxing Day Tests
In New Zealand an annual Boxing Day Test Match was played at Basin Reserve in Wellington, involving the New Zealand cricket team as one of the competing sides. Over the past few years the Boxing day Test has been phased out for a One Day International and Twenty20 matches involving New Zealand and the touring opposition national team. It has been announced that in 2013 the Boxing Day Tests will be returning with the West Indies playing at Basin Reserve.
In South Africa a Boxing Day Test is often played if another national team is touring to play the South African cricket team. It is traditionally played at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban.
References
- ↑ p85, Frank Tyson, Test of Nerves, Test series 1974–75 Australia versus England, Manark Pty Ltd, 1975
- ↑ ODI # 596 Benson & Hedges World Series, 1989/90, 1st Match, Australia v Sri Lanka
- ↑ Boxing Day was the third day of the test match.
- ↑ "2nd Test: Australia v. England 1950". ESPN EMEA Ltd. Retrieved 2012-01-03.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 5.26 5.27 5.28 5.29 "Records – MCG Test Matches". Melbourne Cricket Ground. Retrieved 2012-01-03.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Boxing Day was the second day of the test match.
- ↑ Boxing Day was the fourth day of the test match.
- ↑ "Melbourne Cricket Ground Attendances".
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 9.9 9.10 9.11 9.12 "Recent MCG Cricket Attendances". Retrieved 2012-01-03.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "India tour of Australia, 2011/12 (1st Test)". ESPN EMEA Ltd. Retrieved 2012-01-03.
External links
- History of MCG Boxing Day Tests
- Scoreboard: 1950 Boxing Day Test
- Scoreboard: 1952 Boxing Day Test
- Scoreboard: 1968 Boxing Day Test
- Scoreboard: 1974 Boxing Day Test
- Scoreboard: 1975 Boxing Day Test
- Scoreboard: 1980 Boxing Day Test
Coordinates: 37°49′12″S 144°59′00″E / 37.82000°S 144.98333°E