Men’s cricket will celebrate its 150th anniversary with a one-off Test match between perennial rivals Australia and England. This historic Test match will be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from March 11-15, in 2027. Interestingly, the first-ever Test match was also played at the same venue, from March 15 to March 19, 1877 with Australia winning the match by 45 runs.
First-ever Pink-Ball test at MCG
The 150th anniversary will also mark the first-ever test match at the MCG. But the reason behind playing a pink-ball test at MCG is Cricket Australia’s attempt to boost TV ratings and fill the stadium on every day. For the unversed, Australia’s domestic season often run from November to February and in March, schools are open and general public will also be busy with their work and daily life. So a pink-ball test allows the public to get into the stadium after working hours.
Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg also highlighted that this test match will offer unique experience to the fans. He was also grateful to the Victorian state government and the Melbourne Cricket Club for supporting the initiative to play it under lights.
“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,” he 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.
“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.”
It’s worth highlighting that this one-off Test will not be part of the World Test Championship. Also, this test will force IPL teams to plan in advance as the dates of the test will certainly collide with the start of IPL 2027, which is likely to start on March 14.
