Melbourne match in 2027 to celebrate 150th anniversary of first ever Test

MELBOURNE (Agencies): Cricket Australia (CA) plan to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first ever Test match, played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 1877, with an Australia vs England Test at the same venue in March 2027, the governing body said on Sunday. Australia won the single-innings timeless match played between March 15 and 19 by 45 runs, before England won the second match at the same venue to tie the series 1-1. The 100-year anniversary of the inaugural test was also observed with a test between Australia and England at the MCG in 1977, with Australia winning the match, again by 45 runs. “The 150th anniversary test match at the MCG in March 2027 will be a wonderful celebration of the pinnacle format of the game at one of the world’s great sporting arenas and we can’t wait to host England on that occasion,” CA CEO Nick Hockley said in a statement. The MCG will also continue to host the traditional ‘Boxing Day Test’, played from Dec. 26 every year, for the next seven seasons until 2030-31, with the Sydney Cricket Ground staging the new year’s Test days later, the CA added.