Australia to play England in Day/Night test at the MCG to celebrate 150th anniversary of test cricket

The first ever test cricket match was played in 1877 between Australia and England at the MCG.

On Tuesday, March 11, Cricket Australia (CA) announced that Australia and England will play a one-off test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in March 2027 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of test cricket.

The first-ever test match was played in 1877 between Australia and England at the MCG, with Australia emerging victorious by 45 runs.

The upcoming contest is scheduled for March 11-15 2027, and will be a day-night test played with a pink ball. It will also be the first-ever day-night test cricket match at the MCG in men’s cricket. Australia boast an impressive record with the pink ball, winning 12 out of 13 matches.

Australia and England to go head to head in historic day-night contest at MCG to mark 150th anniversary of test cricket

Speaking about the historic test, CA CEO Todd Greenberg stated that the occasion would be a fitting tribute to both the game’s rich heritage and its evolution.

Greenberg said, “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.“

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

He recalled the iconic performances of the Centenary test, played in 1977 to honor 100 years of test cricket, and noted that the upcoming match will create its own lifelong memories.

He added, “The Centenary Test created many iconic performances, including David Hookes’ five consecutive boundaries off Tony Greig, Rick McCosker batting with a broken jaw and Derek Randall’s defiant century, and I’m sure the 150th Test will create its own lifelong memories.“

“This season’s Ashes Series will whet the appetite for this clash in exactly two years, and we look forward to celebrating this historic occasion further as it draws nearer.“

Notably, this fixture will not be part of the World Test Championship (WTC). The two teams are set to meet in November 2025-January 2026 for the Ashes series in Australia.

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