Stumps has been called, the Ashes is over.
But fortunately for Australian and English cricket fans, we don’t have to wait long for the game’s oldest foes to renew a Test rivalry that began way back in 1877.
Anticipation for next year’s 150th Anniversary Test is already high with the public ticket ballot currently open and closing on February 6.
But there’s a catch, because based on what we’ve seen for much of this summer, Cricket Australia is no doubt more than little nervous about the one-off Test to be played at the iconic MCG between 11-15 March 2027.
Timed to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the inaugural Test match between Australia and England, the showpiece clash has the potential to be a much-needed ratings and attendance bonanza, particularly given Cricket Australia’s well-publicised financial challenges.
Only trouble is, following this summer’s disastrous confluence of green pitches, suspect batting and multiple two-day Tests, there are genuine fears the celebration could instead end with yet another early finishing anti-climax.
Unlike Melbourne’s traditional Boxing Day Test which is played in day conditions during the middle of summer, the 150th Anniversary Test will be played controversially under pink ball day/night conditions in mid-March—footy season.
As any AFL fan will tell you, Melbourne’s autumn weather is notoriously variable at the best of times, but throw in night conditions and a pink ball and it’s anyone’s guess what will happen.
Five days? Based on what we’ve seen over the past month and a half, the showpiece match could be over in less than five sessions.
There seems little doubt the powers that be at Cricket Australia will be asking the MCG curator to prepare a bone dry ‘road’ with few, if any, demons for batsmen to navigate.
But how well the autumnal conditions in Melbourne allow that to happen remains to be seen.
Fingers crossed all round, it seems.
Cricket Australia