The Best Moments Of The Boxing Day Test

No cricket fan can deny that the best present ever would be Boxing Day Test tickets. The Boxing Day Test has become one of the most anticipated sporting matches around the world and rightly so, as some of the best moments in cricketing history have happened during this fateful match. 

While we could probably write a huge list of all these great moments, to get us all in the mood for cricket season to begin in full swing we’ve chosen a few of our favourite moments of the Boxing Day Test.

1. Andrew Symonds’ maiden Test hundred — Australia v England, 2006

Usually known as a white-ball specialist, Symonds was having a hard time cementing his spot in the Australian Test team before this knock. He’d passed 50 twice, and got to the early 20’s a few times but couldn’t crack that ever-elusive triple-figure score. 

At the 2006 Boxing Day Test, the Aussies reeling at 5-84, Symonds walked onto the MCG to join teammate Matthew Hayden. He took on 21 deliveries to register his first single and then the runs started to flow. With a towering six down the ground, Symonds brought up his maiden century, letting out a massive cry of joy and relief, right before leaping into Hayden’s arms. 

The image was on every sporting news outlet’s front page. What a moment!

2. Murali No-Balled

Even after he retired from Test cricket, if Muttiah Muralitharan were to bowl on an Australian pitch today, there is bound to be at least one person in the crowd who would stand up, stick out their arm and cry “No Ball”.

This all began in 1995 at the MCG. Sri Lanka was touring Australia and the spinner Murali, then 23 years old had played 22 tests already, but that didn’t stop umpire Darrel Hair from no-balling him seven times in three overs due to his controversial action. 

Later that summer, Murali was called again, which forced the ICC to enact a rule change. The controversy itself did little to stunt his career though, with the Sri Lankan bowler eventually taking 800 Test wickets throughout his celebrated yet often bad-mouthed career. 

3. That ‘Nice Garry’ wicket — Australia v Pakistan, 2016

Sometimes something is so silly it’s almost brilliant. This moment was one of those times.

Matthew Wade's encouragement towards Nathan Lyon using his nickname Garry after the AFL star Garry Lyon, quickly became a social phenomenon. The simple, yet humorous phrase ‘Nice Garry’ made its way onto social media, with there even being a Facebook event urging the crowd to call out ‘Nice Garry’ after the third ball of his first over against Pakistan in 2016. 20,000 users indicated they were attending or were interested.

No one could’ve predicted the events that transpired though, as Lyon ran to bowl to Sami Aslam, the crowd was alive with anticipation, then Aslam pushed forward to a sharp off-break and edged one to the skipper and was sent packing off the pitch. The crowd broke out in cheers, ‘Nice Garry’s’ and disbelief. 

4. Warnie's 700th wicket

Every cricket fan in Australia, whether they were alive at the time or not, can connect the phrase, “and they can’t catch him” with the excellent fast bowler Shane Warne. The year was 1994 and Warnie had come into the final Boxing Day Test in front of his home crowd at the MCG with 699 wickets. Earlier in the week, Warne had announced his retirement from test cricket. 

The script was written, and the pieces of success were falling into place when England sent Australia in to bowl first. The “King of Spin” delivered a beautiful leg break during the 47th over, that made its way through the gate of Andrew Strauss and rattled the stumps. 

The crowd roared and Warnie took off like a headless chook, tearing his way around the MCG and Mark Taylor cried out “And they can’t catch him!” 

It was a remarkable moment for both cricket and Warnie. 

Don’t miss out

Get your Boxing Day Test tickets right here, The Ticket Merchant has all your cricket needs covered with tickets available across the 2021-2022 Ashes series, including the famed and unmissable Boxing Day Test.