Introduction
Annual cricket match between Australia and a visiting international team
For other uses, see Boxing Day Test (disambiguation). Boxing Day TestThe Melbourne Cricket Ground during the first day of the 2015 Boxing Day Test matchStatusActiveGenreSporting eventBegins26 DecemberEndsOn or before 30 DecemberFrequencyAnnualVenueMelbourne Cricket GroundLocationsMelbourne, VictoriaCountryAustraliaInaugurated1968 (1968) The Boxing Day Test match is a cricket Test match held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, involving the Australia national cricket team and an opposing national team that is touring Australia during the southern summer. It begins annually on Boxing Day (26 December) and is played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
History
[edit] Cricket crowd at the Boxing Day Test in 2007 By long tradition, a Sheffield Shield match between Victoria and New South Wales had been played at the MCG over the Christmas period dating back as far as 1865. It included Boxing Day as one of the scheduled days of play, much to the chagrin of the NSW players who missed spending Christmas with their families as a result. The Melbourne Test was usually held over the New Year period, often starting on 1 January. During the 1950–51 Ashes series, the Melbourne Test was played from 22 to 27 December, with the fourth day's play being on Boxing Day, but no Test matches were played on Boxing Day in Melbourne between 1953 and 1967. Because there were six Tests in the 1974–75 Ashes series, in order to fit them all in to the overall schedule, the Third Test at Melbourne was scheduled to start on Boxing Day. That was the origin of the modern tradition, although it was not until 1980 that it was formalised by the Australian Cricket Board, alongside the recent acquisition of its television rights by the Nine Network, and Melbourne emphasising its hosting of major sporting events (such as the AFL Grand Final and Australian Open) to offset the decline of its manufacturing industry. The Boxing Day Test has cultural significance and often draws large crowds, although increased competition from Twenty20 fixtures in the Big Bash League has led to variance in attendance; the MCG hosted its largest Boxing Day crowd in 2025, the fourth Test of the 2025–26 Ashes series against England.
Individual awards[edit] Since 1975, there has been an official Player of the Match named in each Boxing Day Test. Since 2020, the man of the match has received the Mullagh Medal, named in honour of Indigenous Australian cricketer Johnny Mullagh.
A panorama of the MCG for day one of the 2024 Boxing Day Test.
List of Boxing Day Test matches
[edit]
Year
Opposition team
Result
Boxing Day Crowd
Total Attendance
Player of the Match: Mullagh Medal
1968
 West Indies
 Australia won by an innings and 30 runs
18,766
113,376
1974
 England
Draw
77,167
250,750
1975
 West Indies
 Australia won by 8 wickets
85,661
222,755
Jeff Thomson
1980
 New Zealand
Draw
28,671
82,745
Richard Hadlee
1981
 West Indies
 Australia won by 58 runs
39,982
Overall Record — Australia vs Visitors
[edit] Beer cup snake during the 2021 Boxing Day Test
Opposition Team
GP
W
D
L
Win %
Recent Test
 England
12
5
2
5
041.67
Boxing Day 2025
 India
10
2
2
6
020.00
Boxing Day 2024
 New Zealand
3
0
2
1
000.00
Boxing Day 2019
 Pakistan
5
0
1
4
000.00
Why the Boxing Day Test is a Christmas staple
The match falls right after the festive rush, giving families a relaxed way to extend the holiday mood. With most shops closed and the nation still on holiday, the MCG becomes a communal living‑room where fans gather for a day of sport, barbecue and banter. The timing also dovetails with the Aussie tradition of "Boxing Day" sales, meaning many people can combine a shopping spree with a trip to the ground. For expatriates, it’s a chance to catch a piece of home while overseas, and for newcomers it offers an authentic glimpse of how seriously Australians take both cricket and Christmas leftovers. The result is a ritual that feels as inevitable as the mince pies on the table.
Buying guide: tickets and tips for first‑timers
Tickets for the Boxing Day Test sell out fast, especially the lower‑tier seats with a clear view of the pitch. The safest bet is to book through the official Cricket Australia website as soon as the seating plan is released, usually in early November. If you’re on a budget, consider the MCG’s upper tiers or the surrounding Melbourne Park precinct, where you can watch the game on big screens while enjoying cheaper food options. Arrive early to soak up the pre‑match atmosphere – the crowd's chants, the scent of sizzling sausages, and the iconic “Mullingar” chant are part of the experience. Dress in layers; Melbourne’s December weather can swing from balmy sunshine to a crisp breeze, and a compact raincoat is a wise addition.
What newcomers get wrong about the match’s importance
Many overseas fans assume the Boxing Day Test is just another calendar fixture, but in Australia it carries symbolic weight as the season’s flagship encounter. It's not merely a game; it marks the start of the summer cricket calendar and often sets the tone for the host nation’s Test campaign. The media coverage is intense, with analysts dissecting every session as a predictor of the series outcome. Ignoring the pre‑match commentary means missing out on contextual storylines – such as a debutant’s first innings or a long‑awaited rivalry. Understanding this narrative adds depth to the viewing experience and explains why the match draws crowds beyond the usual cricket loyalists.