Boxing Day Test
Encyclopedia
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
hosted in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
involving the Australian cricket team
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
and an opposing national team which is touring Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
that summer. It begins annually on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
(26 December) and is played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
. Every four years, the Boxing Day Test forms part of the 5-match Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
series with England.
History
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
-New South Wales
New South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
Sheffield Shield match began on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
at the MCG
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
, much to the chagin of the NSW players who missed Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
with their families as a result. In the 1950–51 Ashes series
1950–51 Ashes series
The 1950–51 Ashes series consisted of five cricket Test matches, each of six days with five hours play each day and eight ball overs. It formed part of the MCC tour of Australia in 1950–51 and the matches outside the Tests were played in the name of the Marylebone Cricket Club...
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
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
, beginning the modern tradition. These are usually played only against the England cricket team, but other nations have also played Boxing day Tests and in 1980 the Melbourne Cricket Club
Melbourne Cricket Club
The Melbourne Cricket Club is a sporting club based in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1838 and is regarded as the oldest sporting club in Australia....
and the Australian cricket team
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
secured the rights to play the match annually.
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.List of Boxing Day Test matches
| Year | Opposition team | Result | Day 1 Crowd | Total Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | won by 28 runs | 60,486 | ||
| 1952 | won by 82 runs | |||
| 1968 | won by an innings and 30 runs | |||
| 1974 | Draw | 77,167 | ||
| 1975 | won by 8 wickets | 85,661 | ||
| 1980 | Draw | |||
| 1981 | won by 58 runs | 39,982 | ||
| 1982 | won by 3 runs | 63,900 | ||
| 1983 | Draw | 40,240 | ||
| 1984 | Draw | |||
| 1985 | Draw | 29,108 | ||
| 1986 | won by an innings and 14 runs | 58,203 | ||
| 1987 | Draw | 51,807 | ||
| 1988 | won by 258 runs | |||
| 1990 | won by 9 wickets | 49,763 | ||
| 1991 | won by 8 wickets | 42,494 | ||
| 1992 | won by 139 runs | 49,414 | ||
| 1993 | Draw | 15,604 (rain) | ||
| 1994 | won by 295 runs | 51,620 | ||
| 1995 | won by 10 wickets | 55,239 | ||
| 1996 | won by 6 wickets | 72,891 | ||
| 1997 | Draw | 73,812 | ||
| 1998 | won by 12 runs | 61,580 | ||
| 1999 | won by 180 runs | 49,082 (rain) | ||
| 2000 | won by 352 runs | 73,233 | ||
| 2001 | won by 9 wickets | 61,796 | ||
| 2002 | won by 5 wickets | 64,189 | ||
| 2003 | won by 9 wickets | 62,613 | 179,662 | |
| 2004 | won by 9 wickets | 61,552 | 129,079 | |
| 2005 | won by 184 runs | 71,910 | 192,000 | |
| 2006 | won by an innings and 99 runs | 89,155 | 244,351 | |
| 2007 | won by 337 runs | 68,465 | 166,663 | |
| 2008 | won by 9 wickets | 63,263 | 174,246 | |
| 2009 | won by 170 runs | 59,206 | 156,267 | |
| 2010 | won by an innings and 157 runs | 84,345 | 240,156 | |
| 2011 | Yet to be played |
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
Other Boxing Day Tests
In New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
an annual Boxing Day Test Match was played at Basin Reserve
Basin Reserve
The Basin Reserve , is a cricket ground in Wellington, New Zealand, used for Test, first-class and one-day cricket. Some argue that its proximity to the city, its Historic Place status and its age make it the most famous cricket ground in New Zealand...
in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, involving the New Zealand cricket team
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
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
Twenty20
Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in England for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board , in 2003. A Twenty20 game involves two teams, each has a single innings, batting for a maximum of 20 overs. Twenty20 cricket is also known as T20 cricket...
matches involving New Zealand
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
and the touring opposition national team.
In South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
a Boxing Day Test is often played if another national team is touring to play the South African cricket team
South African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
. It is traditionally played at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead
Sahara Stadium Kingsmead
Kingsmead is a cricket ground in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It operates under the sponsorship-based name of Sahara Stadium Kingsmead where Sahara is the trademark of a sponsor from the IT industry. Its stated capacity is 25,000, although grass terracing makes up part of the viewing area....
, Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
.