Boxing Day Test
The
"Boxing Day Test Match" is an annual
Boxing Day tradition in
Australia involving a
cricket Test match between the
Australian cricket team and the opposition national team touring
Australia that summer. The match is always held at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground in
Melbourne, Australia, and traditionally sees the largest crowds for the Australian Test summer. A total of 192,337 fans attended the five days of the 2005 Test against South Africa, including 71,190 on the first day,
26 December.
The Boxing Day cricket match is part of a series of test matches held in Australian capital cities. It has become a well established tradition, part of the national heritage, and it is not uncommon for the
Prime Minister or other senior government members to attend the opening day.
In
New Zealand an annual Boxing Day Test Match is played at
Basin Reserve in
Wellington, involving the
New Zealand cricket team as one of the competing sides.
In
South Africa a Boxing Day Test is often played if another national team is touring to play the
South African cricket team.
A Test series is always played in Australia during the Southern Hemisphere's summer, and so if either New Zealand or South Africa is competing against the Australian team, it will not host a Boxing Day Test.
