Boxing Day Test facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boxing Day Test |
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The Melbourne Cricket Ground during the first day of the 2015 Boxing Day Test match
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| Status | Active |
| Genre | Sporting event |
| Begins | 26 December |
| Ends | On or before 30 December |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Venue | Melbourne Cricket Ground |
| Location(s) | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Country | Australia |
| Inaugurated | 1950 |
The Boxing Day Test match is a special cricket game played every year in Melbourne, Australia. It features the Australian cricket team playing against another national team that is visiting Australia during their summer. This exciting match always starts on Boxing Day, which is December 26th, and takes place at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Contents
History of the Boxing Day Test
For a very long time, even back to 1865, a cricket match called the Sheffield Shield was played at the MCG around Christmas. This match involved teams from Victoria and New South Wales. Boxing Day was always one of the playing days. The players from New South Wales often missed Christmas with their families because of this!
The idea of having a Test match on Boxing Day started to become a tradition in the 1970s. In the 1974–75 Ashes series, one of the big Test matches was scheduled to begin on Boxing Day. This was a new thing!
It wasn't until 1980 that the Melbourne Cricket Club and the Australian cricket team officially decided that a Test match would be played every single year on Boxing Day at the MCG. And so, a great tradition was born!
A Special Tradition for Fans
The Boxing Day Test is more than just a game; it's a big cultural event in Australia. Lots of people make it a yearly tradition to go and watch. The stadium gets super crowded and lively! Fans often do fun things like "the wave" (where sections of the crowd stand up and sit down in a ripple effect), chant loudly, and even stack empty cups to make really long "snakes" that wind through the stands. It's a huge party for cricket lovers!
Awards for Top Players
Since 2020, a special award called the Mullagh Medal is given to the best player of the Boxing Day Test match. This medal honors Johnny Mullagh, an important Indigenous Australian cricketer from the past.
Images for kids
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The Melbourne Cricket Ground during the first day of the 2015 Boxing Day Test match
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Cricket crowd at the Boxing Day test in 2007
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Beer cup snake during the 2021 Boxing Day Test
See also
- Mullagh Medal
