MCG Boxing Day Test: Warnie, Patto, Mitch, Murali and Binga all feature in most memorable moments

IT SHOULD be no surprise that Shane Warne features prominently in a list of memorable Boxing Day Test moments. The others though may give you pause for thought.

Shane Warne was a dominant force at the MCG.

SIX months before the ball of the century at Old Trafford, Shane Warne perplexed West Indies batsmen with a magical spell at the MCG.

One ball in particular to Richie Richardson set the trend for an amazing career that encompassed 14 years and over 700 wickets.

Muttiah Muralitharan was called seven times in three overs for a no ball.

Warne took 56 wickets on his home track and it’s no wonder he features in three of Greg Buckle’s 10 most memorable moments of the past 25 Boxing Day Tests.

The others, well, they alternate between the sublime, ridiculous and downright scary.

1992

Blond bombshell No.1

The chubby leggie had yet to display much in the way of heroics, having taken four wickets at an average of 96.50 in his four-Test career. But it all changed against West Indies as he claimed 1-65 and 7-52. The Windies were bowled out for 219 chasing 359 to win as Warne took 4-3 in a spell from Great Southern Stand End. A top-spinner which bowled Richie Richardson was a highlight while the fans also celebrated when another local legend Merv Hughes reached the 150-wicket milestone. Warne was named man of the match.

1994

Hat-trick hero Warnie

He’s not a Victorian, but the image of a diminutive David Boon diving to his right became etched into Melbourne’s sporting folklore when he pulled off a screamer at short leg to complete Shane Warne’s hat-trick. It was the first Ashes hat-trick in 90 years. Warne trapped Phil DeFreitas lbw, Darren Gough was caught behind and tailender Devon Malcolm offered a nervous prod. “He’s gone! It’s a hat-trick. What a catch by David Boon!,” screamed Nine’s commentator Tony Greig. “What a moment!” Boon stood triumphant, his arms raised.

1995

Chucking controversy

Australia’s then-captain Mark Taylor looked on from the change rooms as Sri Lanka’s controversial spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was called for chucking by umpire Darrell Hair. “We all thought he must have been overstepping,” Taylor told Nine over a decade later. Murali was called seven times in three overs by Hair, who received death threats. The NSW official described the off-spinner’s bowling action as “diabolical”. Murali was called for chucking again on his next tour of Australia in 1998-99 and had a difficult relationship with Australia’s fans.

1999

Blond bombshell No.2

Brett Lee’s 5-47 in his debut innings against India provided a glimpse into an exciting future. Wearing a short-sleeved shirt that was too big for his skinny frame, the NSW speedster bowled like the wind. Before even bowling his first ball, Nine’s Ian Healy had labelled Lee a “tearaway fast bowler”. When left-hander Sadagoppan Ramesh played onto his stumps, Lee leapt in the air with delight. It would be the first of 310 Test wickets.

2002

Waugh proves real headache

Steve Waugh was next in when he was hit by the symptoms of a migraine during Australia’s second innings against England. Waugh said as he walked onto the stadium “the heat and humidity turned everything fuzzy”. He was caught behind but England didn’t appeal until after a TV replay was shown on the big screen. Then he was caught at cover, only to gain another reprieve as it was a no-ball. “The whole debacle was a blur and I’m amazed I lasted long enough to make 14,” Waugh said.

2003

Super Sehwag sets pulses racing

It was one of the great first-day centuries in MCG history and one of the best against Australia in Australia in recent times. India’s opening batsman Virender Sehwag smashed 195 including 25 fours and five sixes as the touring team reached 4-329 at stumps. Sehwag didn’t worry greatly about the niceties of footwork. He just went bang through cover. He fell trying to hit a six to reach his double century. Australia also had plenty of batting, as Matthew Hayden (136) and Ricky Ponting (257) guided Australia to a first-innings total of 558 - and eventually in a nine-wicket win.

2006

Yet another Warnie milestone

It was 10 years ago. You probably remember it well. In his second-last Test match, Warne at 37 became the second player in Test cricket behind Murali to take 700 wickets. At the precise moment he crashed through the defences of England’s Andrew Strauss, Warne began to sprint on a victory lap as the crowd roared its approval. “I was actually looking for ‘Pup’ (Michael Clarke) and I couldn’t find him,” Warne said. “I had to settle for ‘Lang’ (Justin Langer). It was just a great feeling to be out there and raise the ball in front of 90-odd thousand people. That was a pretty amazing day.”

2008

Proteas flex muscles

South Africa’s nine-wicket win ended Australia’s 16-year run of unbeaten series at home. Graeme Smith’s team claimed the series with victory in the second Test in Melbourne, after JP Duminy’s 166 set up a 65-run lead on the first innings. Man-of-the-match Dale Steyn then ripped Australia apart with a second-innings haul of 5-67 in the home side’s total of 247. Two years before England would do their silly “sprinkler” dance on the MCG when the Ashes had been retained, South Africa had their own post-match celebration in the cover of darkness on the hallowed turf. It was boozy, there was much tackling and skylarking, and it was well-deserved.

2011

Patto bursts onto scene

Young Victorian quick James Pattinson was in his first month of Test cricket and playing in his first home Test. Pattinson took six wickets including a second-innings haul of 4-53 to claim the man-of-the-match award against MS Dhoni’s India. Sadly, five years later Pattinson has only played two MCG Tests. But back in 2011, a big future lay ahead. “I know Sachin, I wasn’t even born when he started playing (first-class) cricket. To go out there and bowl against him and have some success against their batsmen is just unbelievable.”

2013

Mighty Mitch’s magical five-for

Kevin Pietersen looked hurried and a little concerned at the thunderbolts Mitchell Johnson was sending in his direction. And Pietersen fared better than anyone else, top-scoring with 71 as England toiled. A fired-up Johnson took 5-63 and 3-25 as the home side triumphed by eight wickets. Australia had already reclaimed the Ashes with victory in the third Test in Perth, and the Melbourne match was more of a victory parade than a contest. Who better to lead the parade than Johnson, the terrifying left-arm quick who would go on to take 37 wickets at 13.97 in the series.

Originally published as MCG Boxing Day Test: Warnie, Patto, Mitch, Murali and Binga all feature in most memorable moments