Tag cricket info

On Christmas day, 25th December, people visit church and leave money & gifts for the poor in small boxes placed their by the priest, formally known as Christmas Box.

Also, in old days ~ servants used to work at their masters place on Christmas night. Thus, the following day, 26th December, they were given day off. Servants would bring small boxes in which their masters kept coins and food.. as bonus!

Today - that Christmas bonus hasn't changed, neither has the public holiday the next day of Christmas. Employees might not bring those Boxes to their employers anymore but to mark the days gone by, since 1980, Cricket Australia hosts a cricket test match at Melbourne cricket ground, starting 26th December every year, between Australia and a touring team.

Thus the name - Boxing day Test match!

Victoria (a state in Australia) fans respond in huge numbers at the MCG - Melbourne cricket stadium in Australia with a seating capacity of over 100,000 spectators. In 2007, India vs Australia 1st test match will be played from (same) 26th of December, which is expected to exceed the highest crowd recorded for a boxing day test match - 85,661 for Aus v WI match back in 1975. here's all boxing day test match list every played.

Few notables
** New Zealand and South Africa also host Boxing day test matches. Basin Reserve in Wellington hosts the Boxing day test match in New Zealand whereas South Africa starts a test match in case they themselves aren't in Australia to play the Boxing day test match at Melbourne.

** Boxing day is a public holiday in many other Commonwealth countries on 26th December. In many European countries, its also called at St. Stephen's day or the second day of Christmas. **Other than this Australia vs Some country test match, Sydney to Hobart Yatch race and football matches between England and Scotland are also played on this famous day!