Cricket Australia have announced that the one-off Test to be played between Australia and England at the MCG in March 2027 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of men’s Test cricket with a pink-ball day-night match.
Two years out from the match, which is scheduled for March 11-15 to mark the 150th anniversary of the first Test match ever played at the venue between Australia and England in 1877, it was announced that the match would be a day-night fixture.
It will mirror the recent women’s Ashes Test that was a day-night pink-ball match at the MCG in late-January-early-February, but it will differ from the first-ever men’s Test in 1877 and the Centenary Test in 1977, which marked the 100-year anniversary, as both those matches were played with the red ball during the day with identical results as Australia won both by 45 runs. It will also be the first day-night men’s Test to be played at the MCG.
Part of the reasoning was that it would help maximise crowd attendance to the match in Australia as it will be played during the school and work year, as opposed to the Boxing Day Test which is always played in a holiday period.
It will also help boost television ratings globally as an Australian day-night Test is far more friendly to UK viewers with the third session of play under lights can be viewed after 7.30am in the UK.
New CA chief executive Todd Greenberg was grateful to the Victorian state government and the Melbourne Cricket Club for supporting the initiative to play it under lights.
“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,” he said. “It will also help ensure more people are able to attend and watch what will be a fantastic occasion.
“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.”
The match forms part of an incredibly busy calendar year for Australia men in 2027. They will play four Tests against New Zealand at home in December and January of 2026-27 before flying to India for a five-Test tour in January and February. They will return to play the one-off Test against England which will clash with the start of the IPL, that is due to begin March 14, 2027.
The one-off Test will not be part of the World Test Championship but should Australia qualify for the 2027 final, as they have done for the 2023 and 2025 editions, they will then play a June WTC final before a five-match away Ashes – just as they did in 2023. The 2027 ODI World Cup is scheduled for October and November.