60.6 crore loss for Australia after Boxing Day Test ends in just two days – Reports

The Boxing Day Test between Australia and England in Ashes 2025-26 finished inside two days at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne.

The Ashes 2025-26 series arrived at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne with the urn already safe in Australian hands. Australia had dominated the early part of the summer. They built a massive 3-0 lead that left England searching for answers.

The hosts started their summer with a blowout win at Perth Stadium. That match wrapped up in just two days, a sign of the chaos that would later hit Melbourne. By the time the teams got to the day-night Test in Brisbane, the Australian pace attack was in full control.

They tore through the English batting order once again. The Aussies cruised to a win under the lights. The third Test in Adelaide went much the same way. Australia’s bowlers made the most of the conditions to lock up the series win.

So, the tourists showed up in Melbourne playing for ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 pride. They were desperate to get something out of a tour that had been a total one-sided affair. Even though the series was already over, the Boxing Day crowd was massive as around 94,000 people turned up at the MCG on opening day.

Cricket Australia faces a massive financial shortfall as Boxing Day Test ends in two days

The action on the pitch was exciting but way too short. Now, Cricket Australia is dealing with a major mess off the field. Reports show the board is looking at a huge loss of about £5 million (roughly ₹60.6 crore). This massive hole in the budget happened because the game ended in only two days. The early finish wiped out any chance of making money on the rest of the week.

The third day was already a sell-out, which usually means a great atmosphere and a big payday. Instead, the early finish meant the board had to cut massive refund checks to thousands of fans. On top of that, the financial hit went beyond just tickets.

Food stalls, jersey shops, and luxury hospitality boxes, which usually brought in a ton of cash, will sat empty for the final three days. TV networks also had to scramble. They had to find something else to air during the time they had cleared for live cricket. This £5 million hit is a huge blow to the season’s budget. It shows just how much money is at risk when pitches aren’t right, and games end too fast.

Chaotic MCG Test and the road to Sydney

Cricket fans won’t soon forget the fourth Test at the MCG. It was a messy, low-scoring battle that made batting look impossible. On a pitch that gave the fast bowlers a massive advantage, 20 wickets went down on the first day alone.

It was a frantic pace that neither team could really handle. Australia batted first but collapsed for just 152. England looked even worse in their first turn, as the bowlers rolled them for only 110.

The second innings was just as shaky for the Aussies. They only managed 132, leaving England a target of 175. England’s batters, especially Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook, showed some real guts during the chase. They guided their team to a four-wicket win late on day two.

This victory finally ended a losing streak for England on Australian soil. Now, all eyes turn to the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, starting January 4. England want to grab one more win to save face.

Australia, meanwhile, will want to finish things off with a clear 4-1 series score. The Sydney pitch usually plays differently and often favours spin later in the game. Hopefully, that means a longer fight than the quick skirmishes fans saw in Perth and Melbourne.

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