Ashes latest: Boxing Day Test at the MCG set to host 100,000 capacity crowd

The Ashes Boxing Day Test between Australia and England looks likely to be played in front of a capacity crowd following the lifting of crowd restrictions by the government of Victoria.

On Thursday, 18 November, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews declared that there would be no limits on the number of people who could go to the MCG on Boxing Day.

“There are no more caps, there are no more quotients, no more rules in terms of how many people can be in different spaces,” Andrews said in Melbourne on Thursday.

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“Whether it’s 100,000 at the MCG on Boxing Day or a smaller group standing up at the public bar of their local pub having a beer, this is the COVID normal that every Victorian has built.”

Cricket Australia positive on Perth for fifth Ashes Test

Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley told reporters on Wednesday, 17 November that he was confident the fifth Ashes Test was still on track to be played in Perth.

“There’s still a fair amount of detail to be worked through,” Hockley told 3AW. “We’re doing that as the moment as a priority.

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“The arrangements that will be put in place, they are very complicated, there’s a huge amount of work that goes on behind the scenes.

“We’re not quite there yet in finalising all the plans but certainly making a huge amount of progress. Certainly, we’re working towards it happening.”

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Western Australia’s vaccination rates have lagged behind those in Victoria and the state’s borders remained closed to internationals and WA Health, WA Police and Cricket Australia remain locked in talks to resolve the staging of the Test.

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Tasmania’s Bellerive Oval has been offered as an alternative venue to stage the Ashes finale.

Men’s Ashes vs England

Preliminary schedule

Dec 8-12: First Test, The Gabba

Dec 16-20: Second Test, Adelaide Oval

Dec 26-30: Third Test, MCG

Jan 5-9: Fourth Test, SCG

Jan 14-18: Fifth Test, Perth Stadium