Special Sub-Topic: The Boxing Day Test Click Here To Play: The Boxing Day Test

In which Australian city is the Boxing Day Test played each year?

Melbourne. The Boxing Day Test is played each year in Melbourne at the MCG from December 26th (Boxing Day) to December 30th.

When was the Boxing Day Test first played in Australia?

1950. Test cricket was first played on Boxing Day in 1950. Australia defeated England by just 28 runs. There were no Boxing Day Test matches from 1953 to 1967 and, for the 1984 test match, Boxing Day was Day 4. In 1989, Australia played an ODI against Sri Lanka on Boxing Day instead.

Which future Australian Test captain made his debut at the Boxing Day Test in 1985?

Steve Waugh. It was a moderate start for Waugh, who managed just 13 and 5 in his two innings, and took two wickets.

Which two Australian batsmen put on 107 runs for the tenth wicket at the Boxing Day Test in 2005?

Mike Hussey and Glenn McGrath. It was a masterful display of batting by Hussey, who shielded McGrath from the strike and set about dispatching the South African attack to all parts of the MCG. Such was his dominance that McGrath only contributed 11 of those 107 runs. Australia had slipped from 3-207 to 9-248, before this unexpected partnership put them back into a commanding position.

Which two Australian bowlers famously reduced the West Indies to 4/10 at stumps on the first day of the Boxing Day Test in 1981?

Dennis Lillee and Terry Alderman. Things were looking grim after Australia had been dismissed for 198 in the last session. The West Indies had to see off just eight overs but there were more twists and turns to come. First Bacchus fell LBW to Alderman, then Desmond Haynes was caught by Border off Lillee. The Aussies played an ultra-attacking field and piled on the pressure, and it wasn't long before nightwatchman Colin Croft also fell LBW to Lillee, which left Lloyd and Richards to see out the remaining two overs. To the delight of the MCG crowd, Dennis Lillee clean-bowled Vivian Richards with the last the ball of the day, leaving the Windies on 4/10.

In the 1995 Boxing Day Test, one bowler was called seven times in three overs for throwing. Who was the bowler, and who was the umpire?

Muttiah Muralitharan, by Darrell Hair. Darrell Hair, who later referred to Muralitharan's bowling action as 'diabolical' in his autobiography, called the bowler for chucking. Sections of the 55,000 strong crowd were clearly opposed to what was happening and Hair's actions made front page news the next day. Several studies in subsequent years have cleared Muralitharan, and in December 2007 he became the top wicket taker in test history, when he took his 709th test wicket. In 2002 he was rated the best/greatest test bowler in tests in the "Wisden Cricket Almanac".

Who, in 2006, became the first batsman to score five centuries in Boxing Day Tests?

Matthew Hayden. Hayden mustered only 48 runs from his first four innings in Boxing Day appearances, but improved dramatically after that. He scored a century in the Boxing Day Tests of 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006, becoming the first batsman to do so. He added another in 2007 against India.

In 1983, which Australian batsman became the first to score 250 runs in a single innings in a Boxing Day Test Match?

Graham Yallop. Before he started doing hair commercials, Graham Yallop was quite a handy cricketer. He played a gritty innings against Pakistan during the Boxing Day test of 1983, facing 517 balls and batting on three separate days. Ricky Ponting emulated Yallop's feat in 2003, when he blasted 257 against India.

Which Australian fast bowler took an aggregate of 25 wickets over the two Boxing Day Tests in 1990 and 1991?

Bruce Reid. Reid took 6/97 and 7/51 against England in 1990 and almost repeated his performance the following year, when he ripped through the Indian line-up to take 6/66 and 6/60.

Which Australian bowler took a hat-trick against England in the Boxing Day Test of 1994?

Shane Warne. Shane Warne took the wickets of Phil DeFreitas, Darren Gough and Devon Malcolm on consecutive deliveries as England collapsed from 5-81 to all out for 92.