Australia Test schedule 2020: Why Boxing Day Test needs to stay at MCG, not Perth

We’ve had the yearly bleating from out west calling for the Boxing Day Test to be shifted and predictable annual sledges of the famous MCG wicket. But cricket’s showpiece Test ain’t going anywhere, writes Russell Gould.

Pat Cummins of Australia, Matthew Wade of Australia, Nathan Lyon of Australia, James Pattinson of Australia and David Warner of Australia celebrate after Tim Paine of Australia stumped Henry Nicholls of New Zealand from the bowling of Nathan Lyon of Australia on day 4 of the Boxing Day Test match between Australia and New Zealand at the MCG in Melbourne, Sunday, December 29, 2019. (AAP Image/Scott Barbour) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY, IMAGES TO BE USED FOR NEWS REPORTING PURPOSES ONLY, NO COMMERCIAL USE WHATSOEVER, NO USE IN BOOKS WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT FROM AAP

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An Australian win in front of a record crowd on a pitch local lad James Pattinson described as the best ever should be enough to silence the MCG haters for some time.

The Boxing Day Test belongs in Melbourne, and even Cricket Australia boss Kevin Roberts declared upcoming meetings with the MCC were geared around making that so “in perpetuity.”

But in recent years cricket officials have had to justify holding arguably the biggest Test of the summer at a ground where a key piece of the show, the pitch, was so damn bad.

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Nathan Lyon, Matthew Wade, Tim Paine and Marnus Labuschagne celebrate at the famous MCG. Picture: AAP

The chasers were out again earlier this month when a Sheffield Shield match was abandoned because of the wicket, which curator Matt Page told anyone that would listen was all because of him.

Western Australian batsman Marcus Stoinis is struck during the abandoned Shield match. Picture: cricket.com.au

His capacity to produce two perfectly good cricket wickets in the two preceding Shield games was cast aside because the last two Test pitches at the MCG weren’t any good.

But Page had been working with the dead cards he was dealt when he took over in 2018 and made enough changes – removing the concrete base, putting in less pitches to help them move a bit more naturally – to produce better decks.

And he had. See previously mentioned Shield games.

But too much moisture left in one pitch, partly because Victorian captain Peter Handscomb asked for a wicket that was more alive on day one, brought out all the naysayers.

Western Australian officials, from both cricket and the government, issued their yearly cry that they were ready and willing to take charge of Boxing Day.

The Perth Test this year was marred by disappointing crowds, despite being a day-night game. Picture: AAP

It was a call that fell flat when only 65,540 turned up to the opening Test against New Zealand at the billion dollar Perth Stadium, a match even scheduled for night time so people could show up after work.

As the crowd for the Boxing Day showpiece ticked over 200,000 by lunchtime on day four, after non-Ashes records on the opening two days, the WA balloon was well and truly burst.

By the end of day four 203,472 had attended the Boxing Day Test, more than all this summer’s Tests in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth combined.

But the wicket was the ultimate win for the MCC.

Aussie skipper Tim Paine and coach Justin Langer both described it as “brilliant”, and spinner Nathan Lyon said it was the best in his nine MCG Tests.

It was the big question mark, but those questions were answered with an exclamation point.

The doubters are all out of ammunition. Boxing Day ain’t going nowhere .