Australia, England to play historic 150th anniversary Test under lights

The historic one-off test between arch-rivals England and Australia will be played under lights at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in March 2027 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Test cricket.

The birth of Test cricket took place at the same location in March 1877, with Australia and England facing off in an epic battle. The hosts emerged victorious by a 45-run margin.

A century later, in 1977, these two cricketing nations came together once again for the Centenary Test, commemorating 100 years of their historic rivalry.

Australia once again triumphed, mirroring their earlier feat by winning with a 45-run margin. These two matches remain iconic moments in the history of Test cricket.

It is pertinent to note that the historic test will be the first men’s day-night Test at the MCG, following the successful women’s Ashes day-night Test held at the MCG this summer.

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The match will be played from March 11-15, 2027, marking the first Test in this time frame since 1978-79.

Cricket Australia (CA) decided to hold the anniversary test as a day-night match to attract more viewers outside the school holiday period.

“The 150th Anniversary Test at the MCG will be one of the great cricket events and playing under lights will be a fantastic way to celebrate both our game’s rich heritage and Test cricket’s modern evolution,” said CA’s newly appointed chief executive Todd Greenberg.

He also stated that the 150th anniversary of Test cricket will be a memorable event, ensuring a large audience will attend.

“It will also help ensure more people are able to attend and watch what will be a fantastic occasion.”

“The Centenary Test created many iconic performances … and I’m sure the 150th Test will create its own lifelong memories, ” he concluded.

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