Flying the flag: Jonty Sefton from Kyabram celebrated his 11th birthday on day one of the Boxing Day test match between England and Australia, with his family, good mate Billy and his Uncle Rog visiting from the United Kingdom.
Melbourne’s Boxing Day test match has a special place in the Australian sporting calendar, drawing cricket fans from around the world to the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
On Monday, VIctorian fast bowler Scott Boland added to the history of the event and sent fans home more than two days early when he single-handedly destroyed England in the third test of the five-match Ashes series.
Echuca-Moama cricket fans were among those who travelled to the MCG in droves for the event, witnessing Boland take an extraordinary six wickets in his four-over spell as Engalnd was all out for 68 in its second innings.
Having been bowled out for 185 after Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and bowled, the Australians took a 82-run lead into the second innings.
They were not required to bat again as debutante Boland and left-arm quick Mitchell Starc took nine wickets between them in the England second innings, which lasted just 27.4 overs.
Proud: Scott Boland of Australia poses for a photograph with the Mullagh Medal after defeating England at the conclusion of day three of the third Ashes Test between Australia and England at the MCG in Melbourne. Photo: AAP/James Ross
Photo by
JAMES ROSS
Boland finished with 6-7 from four overs and Stac 3-29 from four overs, in England’s second innings.
Woohoo: Scott Boland of Australia reacts after dismissing Joe Root.
Boland, only the fourth indigenous Australian and second indigenous man to wear the baggy green, won the Mullagh Medal as the player of the match, an award named after indigenous cricketer Johnny Mullagh.
His performance was the best on debut by an Australian bowled on home soil since the late 1800s.
Only an 8-43 effort in 1894-95 and 7-55 in 1876-77 bettered his figures.
It gave the Australians an innings and 14-run victory, along with an unassailable 3-nil lead in the Ashes series, which continues in Sydney in the new year before moving to Hobart for the last test.
Hobart was announced as the final test venue when COVID-19 restrictions made it impossible for the Ashes series to head to West Australia.
The Riv Herald’s call to its Facebook community to share their Boxing Day test experiences drew plenty of interest, including reunions of friends and family, birthday celebrations and new acquaintances made at the cricket.
14°C