Boxing Day tradition remains firmly in our sporting psyche

BOXING Day at the MCG doesn't necessarily require a Victorian to lead the way for the Australian team, but the world's most enthusiastic cricket fans love it when one does.

Crowds enjoy the atmosphere during day one of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India, played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday, December 26, 2014, in Melbourne, Australia. Picture: Hamish Blair

BOXING Day at the MCG doesn’t necessarily require a Victorian to lead the way for the Australian team, but the world’s most enthusiastic cricket fans love it when one does.

Never was that truer than the dramatic day in 2006 when the great Shane Warne claimed his 700th Test wicket in front of a huge crowd and went on to bowl Australia to a superb win over the old enemy, England.

The 69,993 who came to digest their Christmas pudding yesterday won’t remember Chris Rogers’ fine 57 anywhere near as fondly as that magical day, but they were well pleased to see it just the same.

For most of the first day of the third Test, it stood as the most outstanding contribution to Australia’s eventual 5-259, overtaken only by prolific new captain Steve Smith, 72 not out, in the last hour.

It would probably be stretching a point to suggest Rogers is a favourite son of the MCG because he is, after all, a transplanted West Australian — and it’s not as if he captures anyone’s imagination with his usually unflamboyant style.

But, hey, didn’t someone once call Bill Lawry the corpse with pads on — and he was always welcomed to the wicket at the great stadium.

As a matter of fact, he was again yesterday as he returned to the Channel 9 commentary box for the first time this summer, and promptly declared Melbourne to be the sports capital of the world, provoking a debate that saw most viewers agreeing with him.

Rogers has been a Victorian Bushrangers player since 2008, moving east not long after playing his first Test, which was in his home town and against, yes, India.

He is not really anybody’s idea of a star but is easy to admire and demands respect just the same.

That’s partly because he never talks himself up — in fact, as recently as earlier this week he sheepishly declined to deny a media conference suggestion that he was an arch pessimist regarding his own game — and partly because he is such a fighter.

He famously waited six years for a second crack at the big time, never giving up on the dream, and now, at 39, has come through a lean trot with three successive half-centuries against India, surely enough to guarantee him another Ashes tour next year. Yesterday’s innings couldn’t have started much less propitiously when he was hit where it hurts in the first over and then saw his more dangerous opening partner, Davey Warner, dismissed for a duck.

For the rest of the first session Rogers faced significantly more of the bowling, easing some of the pressure on out-of-form No.3 Shane Watson, as they added 115 valuable runs.

Rogers was visibly annoyed when he was caught behind just after lunch, but having made 61 and 116 against England last year he is still yet to be dismissed for fewer than 50 at the MCG and is averaging 78 there.

That’s why his exit was applauded like one of the great ground’s own — which he is, now.

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Twitter: @Reedrw

Originally published as Boxing Day tradition remains firmly in our sporting psyche