The boxing day Test between Australia and New Zealand witnessed a rapturous atmosphere as more than 80,000 fans packed the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday in the largest single-day crowd for a Test match between the two nations, and one of the biggest against any country.?
The Boxing Day Test is the highlight of the cricket calendar in Australia and routinely attracts massive crowds, with the 91,112 who watched England during the Ashes in 2013, the record.??
The 80,473 who attended the first day of the second Test between Trans-Tasman rivals being the second biggest for a non-Ashes fixture on Boxing Day, behind only the 85,661 who witnessed Australia play the West Indies in 1975.??
New Zealand are playing their first Boxing Day Test in Australia since 1987 and Cricket Australia chief Kevin Roberts said the huge crowd pointed to the popularity of the sport in both countries.??
In a see saw day, it was Australia who took control after being sent into bat. Riding on the gritty half-centuries from Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith the hosts reached 257 for the loss of four wickets.?
When the stumps were called, Steve Smith was not out on 77, and Travis Head was keeping him company on 25