MELBOURNE, 30 December 2023: The Boxing Day Test ended on the fourth day with Australia’s victory over Pakistan by 79-runs, despite a big fightback by the visitors. I was one one of the 164,835 who thronged the MCG from 26-30 Dec, 2023, not just as a Cricket enthusiast, but also as a journalist covering the match from MCG’s Ron Casey Media Centre, a cosy place with all media facilities (including Tea, Coffee, snacks, water, fruits, breakfast, stupendous lunch, Chocolate Donuts ..) laced with an array of cross-talking media-persons. There was no dearth of predictions and deep analysis. After all the gentleman’s man’s game was in progress.
“Seven Network’s coverage of the Boxing Day Test reached 5.5 million Australians nationally and taking into account audiences across the Foxtel Group including Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go and Foxtel Now, over one million people on average watched across each day’s play, says a Cricket Australia (CA) media release.
The daily attendance being on Day-1 (26 Dec) 62,167, Day-2 (27 Dec) 44,837, Day-3 (28 Dec) 39,802, and on Day-4 (29 Dec) it was 18,029, according to CA sources.
Adding to the festive atmosphere, there was a dedicated Pakistan Fan Zone located outside MCG’s Gate 4. This fan-centric area named as “The Outfield,” transformed into a vibrant “Cricket Mela” for Pakistan supporters.
Plus, the cultural extravaganza featuring Karachi food trucks, traditional Char Pai’s, and the tape ball cricket, created an immersive experience for fans to celebrate their cricket passion.
The Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Committee, together with Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA), had announced Michael Hussey and Lyn Larsen AM as inductees into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. Hussey and Larsen become the 62nd and 63rd inductees into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, established in 1996.
Todd Greenberg, Australian Cricketers’ Association CEO said, “Through the 1980s and 90s, Lyn Larsen had a transformative impact on Australian women’s cricket, leading by example to help establish Australia as a dominant force in the women’s game – a legacy that endures today.
“Mike Hussey is a case study in Aussie persistence, knocking out runs in the Sheffield Shield for ten years before getting a shot at the international level.” Good enough.
Coming back to the media room, I was probably the only regular Indian origin journalist around, there were many of Pakistani origin (locals) and the always present mainstream media, some of them having their separate areas. Lunch time was a uniting period and the occasional coming across in the corridor. By the way, Cricket Australia, a few days back launched its ‘Multicultural Action Plan 2023-2027’, aimed for inclusive Cricket in Australia, definitively a noble cause.
The action plan, said Nick Hockley, CEO Cricket Australia, “we encourage people from every cultural background right across Australia to get involved in cricket, whether that is playing, officiating, coaching, volunteering or coming to the matches.”
Interestingly, I could only locate a few Indians at this years Boxing Day Test. And, I am sure the same applies to Pakistanis when India is playing. Obviously, the exception being an India-Pakistan match, as it happened at the MCG on 22 October, 2022, with 92,000 Indians and Pakistanis plus others attending. Nick Hockley, rightly wishes for ‘coming to the matches’. Subcontinent political rivalries are deep in the Diaspora subjective and if CA’s multicultural plan can breach that, nothing like it.
The MCG library, not far from the media room, is one place I never forget to visit. As always, the welcoming staff and the endless books on sports attract me. My only regret being no books can be taken home to read. This is a reference only library. In November, 2022 it celebrated its 150 years (1873 to 2023). The Journal of the Melbourne Cricket Club Library’s (Issue 79 Spring 23), The Yorker, celebrating the library’s 150 years, is a special treat. It has published all the information and rare photographs. It’s available in digital – https://mcc.org.au/my-mcc-membership/member-publications/the-yorker
At the library, I came across a volume (‘The Official Report of the Organizing Committee for the games of the 16 Olympiad Melbourne 1956”) on the 1956 Olympic Games held in Melbourne. It says the Indian hockey team won the Gold medal defeating Pakistan 1-0 (Half-time – 0-0). In the Semi-finals India defeated Germany 1-0 and Pakistan defeated Great Britain & N. Ireland 3-2. The final placings were: 1. India, 2. Pakistan, 3. Germany, 4. GT Britain and N. Ireland, 5. Australia and 6. New Zealand.
Well, no doubt, the MCG is not just Cricket, it is much more. On Day-4, I met Jahangir Khan, the world famous Squash champion. During his distinguished sporting career, Jahangir was ranked World No.1 who won the World Squash Open six times and the British Squash Open ten times (1982 to 1991). See story- https://www.southasiatimes.com.au/sports/jahangir-khan-worlds-no-1-squash-icon-hits-mcg-turf/
Meanwhile, in a new initiative for the Boxing Day Test, Cricket Australia and the Shane Warne Legacy came together to honour Warne and encourage fans to take a Shane Warne Legacy Heart Test with 23 stations located around the MCG throughout the match. A total of 7847 tests were taken over the course of the four days, with the national total currently at 29,013.
During my four days at the MCG, it was the magic of Cricket that clicked. Thank you Cricket Australia for your hospitality. Much more coming in 2024, including the BBL matches and the West Indies tour.
