Boxing day test 2009

Each year, a test match starts from Boxing day i.e. 26 December hosted in Melbourne, Australia. The test match features Australian cricket team against the team touring the country that summer. In 2009, Pakistan and Australia will be playing the Boxing day test match. It will be the first test of the 3-match series.

History of Boxing day test match: The Boxing day test was first played in 1950 in Melbourne. From 1953 to 1967, no such test were played. But the tradition was started again with tests being played on this day either in Australia or other country. However from 1980, the Melbourne Cricket Club and the Australian cricket team secured the rights to play the match annually and has been going on since then except in 1989 where a boxing day ODI was played.

Last year, South Africa played against Australia which it won. Pakistan had already played a boxing day test match in 2004 where it lost by 9 wickets and in 1983 where it was a draw. Australia has won 9 out of last 10 boxing day test matches, the loss being in 2008.