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 has become a festive fixture
The post‑Christmas lull in the UK calendar makes a two‑day sporting event perfect for families seeking something harmlessly competitive. The Boxing Day Test slots neatly into school holidays, and the 26 December start lets fans unwind after the turkey. Its location at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground adds a pilgrim‑like aura, turning the match into a quasi‑holiday pilgrimage for cricket‑obsessed travellers. The ritual of gathering around a telly with mince pies and a warm cuppa while the bowlers swing under a summer sky has turned the game into a Christmas‑time tradition, not just a sporting calendar entry.
Buying guide: tickets, travel and what to pack
If you’re planning to catch the Boxing Day Test live, book your MCG seats early – the stadium sells out fast, especially for the first day's sessions when the atmosphere is electric. Look for travel packages that combine flights to Melbourne with accommodation in the CBD; many operators bundle a match‑day shuttle to the ground. Pack a light summer jacket – Melbourne weather can swing from warm to chilly in a single afternoon – and don’t forget sunscreen for the delayed start. A portable, insulated drink bottle is handy for staying hydrated while you soak up the sun and the crowd’s chants.
Common misconceptions about the Boxing Day Test
Many think the Boxing Day Test is just another match in the summer schedule, but it carries a unique prestige. It isn’t simply a filler because it falls on a public holiday; the game is deliberately placed on the first day of the Australian summer tour, meaning the visiting side often arrives fresh, and the home team uses it to make a statement. Another myth is that only Australian fans attend – in reality, an eclectic mix of expatriates, tourists, and local supporters fill the stands, creating a multicultural buzz that mirrors the holiday’s inclusive spirit.