If you are a cricket aficionado for a considerable length of time, then certainly you have come across this term – Boxing Day Test match. This is one of the Test matches that cricket fans from Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand eagerly await to see.
But what exactly does a Boxing Day Test mean? And when is it played?
The following article will provide you with all the information regarding the Boxing Day Test Match.
Boxing Day Test Match
A Boxing Day Test match is played on the day after Christmas, that is, on December 26th, every year. Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand are the countries that mostly plan the Test matches against other teams during this period.
The presence of so many fans in the stadium is a big factor and the matches get good viewership through TV as well. Besides, such Tests are also held during their summer season, which lasts from December to February.
What is the Origin of the Name of the Match?
Boxing Day is a day that has its origins in the Christmas festival. On Christmas day the people generally gift their family and friends and the gifts are opened the next day. This is the time when the term got linked to cricket.
History of Boxing Day Tests
The first Boxing Day Test match in history took place between eternal rivals Australia and England as part of the 1950-51 Ashes series. The match was however played from December 22 to December 27, with the 4th day (26th) being Boxing Day.
The Boxing Day Test, however, did not become an annual event until 1980. Cricket Australia and the Melbourne Cricket Club reached an agreement to conduct a Boxing Day Test match at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) every year.
Thus, the match has been held every year from December 26th to 30th and is very popular among Australian cricket fans. However, in 1989, there was one exception—Australia played a Boxing Day ODI against Sri Lanka, which was a part of the Benson & Hedges World Series.
The boxing day test matches are played on a regular basis in South Africa, Australia England but are not as popular in all other continents
