Latest news with #150thAnniversaryTest
Express Tribune
12-03-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Aus, Eng to play day-night Test at MCG
Cricket Australia has confirmed that Australia and England will play a special one-off Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in March 2027 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of men's Test cricket. The historic match will be a day-night Test played under lights with a pink ball. The MCG was the venue for the first-ever Test match between Australia and England in 1877. A century later, in 1977, the two teams faced off again at the same ground to mark 100 years of Test cricket. In that special one-off Test, Australia, captained by Greg Chappell, won by 45 runs. The upcoming Test between the two teams will take place from March 11-15, 2027, and will be the first-ever men's pink-ball Test at the MCG. The venue had previously hosted a women's Ashes pink-ball Test in 2024. Cricket Australia decided to host the match as a day-night fixture to attract larger crowds. The decision to schedule it at night will also help boost global television ratings, making it more accessible to UK audiences. The timing of the match is seen as a way to maximize attendance, unlike the traditional Boxing Day Test, which is held during the holidays. This Test will also be the first men's Test match played in an Australian home summer since the 1978-79 series against Pakistan, which ended on March 29. Todd Greenberg, the newly appointed chief executive of Cricket Australia, expressed excitement about the 150th Anniversary Test, calling it one of the major events in cricket. He highlighted that playing under lights would celebrate both the rich history of the game and the modern evolution of Test cricket. "The 150th Anniversary Test at the MCG will be one of the great cricket events, and playing under lights will be a fantastic way to celebrate both our game's rich heritage and Test cricket's modern evolution," Greenberg said. "It will also help ensure more people are able to attend and watch what will be a fantastic occasion," he added. Greenberg also mentioned that the Centenary Test had produced iconic performances, and he believes the 150th Test will create its own lasting memories.
The Independent
11-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
England and Australia set for historic day-night match in 150th anniversary Test
England will face Australia in a day-night Test in Melbourne in 2027 to mark the 150th anniversary of Test cricket. The 150th Anniversary Test, which will take place from March 11 to 15 2027 – a little over a year after this winter's Ashes series – will be the first men's pink-ball clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Australia beat England in the women's Ashes earlier this year in the first day-night Test played on the ground. The MCG hosted the first Test match in 1877 and the Centenary Test in 1977, both of which Australia won by 45 runs. Announcing the match, Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said: "The 150th Anniversary Test at the MCG will be one of the great cricket events and playing under lights will be a fantastic way to celebrate both our game's rich heritage and Test cricket's modern evolution. "This season's Ashes Series will whet the appetite for this clash in exactly two years, and we look forward to celebrating this historic occasion further as it draws nearer." England head to Australia later this year for a five-match Ashes series which starts in Perth in November.
The Guardian
11-03-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Australia and England set for day-night Test at MCG for 150th Ashes anniversary
The historic 150th anniversary Ashes Test at the MCG in 2027 will be staged as a day-night match. Long locked in for 11 to 15 March, Cricket Australia confirmed – exactly two years out – Australia's one-off match against England would be the first men's pink-ball Test at the venue. Remarkably, the first Test in 1877 and the Centenary Test in 1977 both resulted in Australia winning by 45 runs. CA insisted staging the Test as a day-night match would allow bigger crowds to attend, given it will be played in March, outside of the school holiday period. It will be the latest a men's Test has been staged in a summer since Australia hosted Pakistan in 1978-79. CA still holds contractual rights to the MCG until the end of March each summer, though the AFL has recently started playing matches at the ground well before the end of the month. 'The 150th Anniversary Test at the MCG will be one of the great cricket events and playing under lights will be a fantastic way to celebrate both our game's rich heritage and Test cricket's modern evolution,' new CA boss Todd Greenberg said. 'It will also help ensure more people are able to attend and watch what will be a fantastic occasion. 'The Centenary Test created many iconic performances, including David Hookes' five consecutive boundaries off Tony Greig, Rick McCosker batting with a broken jaw and Derek Randall's defiant century, and I'm sure the 150th Test will create its own lifelong memories.' Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion It is scheduled to be the second day-night Test at the MCG following Australia's women's crushing victory over England at the venue in February. Pat Cummins' team will host England next summer in a five-Test series as they seek to retain the urn they have held since 2017-18.
