Cricket: New Zealand to play first MCG Boxing Day Test since 1987

  • 20/06/2018
A World Test Championship has also been announced.
A World Test Championship has also been announced. Photo credit: Getty

The Blackcaps will play their first Boxing Day test in Melbourne since 1987 next year.

The test match will be part of a three-match series against Australia and will be played under the confines of the newly formed World Test Championship (WTC).

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced the news on Wednesday as well as releasing details of the next five-years touring schedule.

Under the new system, the Blackcaps first involvement in the WTC will start in Sri Lanka in August next year.

They will then play two home Tests against England, after which they will cross the Tasman for the much-awaited series in Australia.

The Blackcaps' 2019-20 summer programme will also include two home Tests against the current No.1 seeds, India, and a home T20 series against Australia.

NZC chief executive David White said under the new arrangements, cricket fans in New Zealand could look forward to a strong mix of international content at home, as well as greater interest in Tests and ODIs not involving the Blackcaps.

"By bringing more relevance and context into Test and ODI cricket we can farewell what used to be known as neutral games, and introduce interest into every fixture, no matter which side is playing," White said.

"In a rapidly-evolving world, this will help increase engagement in cricket and grow the game both locally and globally."

The ICC today released the full Future Tours Programme (FTP) for the period 2018-2023, including the format and point allocation system for the World Test Championship and the ODI qualifying league.

Nine top-ranked sides will participate in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship, which will run from 15 July 2019 to 30 April 2021.

The sides will play six series in the two-year cycle on a home and away basis against opponents they have mutually selected.

The two top-ranked sides will then progress to the June 2021 final to decide the World Test champions.

In addition, the 12 Test playing nations and the Netherlands, will participate in the 13-team ODI League, which will run from 1 May 2020 to 31 March 2022 and all the sides will play eight series over a two-year cycle on a home and away basis against mutually agreed opponents.

Blackcaps captain Kane Williamson said the new FTP represented a solid move in the right direction for world cricket and was packed full of content over all three formats.

"It's exciting for fans and players to see the new context which is being given to ODI and Test cricket," said Williamson. 

"There's a lot to look forward to, but it's hard to go past the three match test series in Australia next year as a highlight. I think all New Zealanders will have a circle around that one."

Newshub.