A Boxing
Day Test is more than just an event on the cricketing
calendar; it has assumed the importance of a ritual. The match played on
the first day after Christmas is considered as sacred as attending the midnight
mass to ring in the birth of Christ.
For
the uninformed souls, the word 'Boxing' has nothing to do with the sport; it
has to do with boxes in which you put things.
During
the Christmas season a lot of people attend church and while they are there,
they donate money and other goodies to the poor. The money and gifts are put in
a box, and this is called a Christmas box. A priest opens the boxes the day
after Christmas and he, in turn distributes the contents to the needy. This is
why 26 December is called Boxing Day.
The
first Test match to start on Boxing Day
was between South Africa and England at Johannesburg in 1913. The next Boxing Day Test was played after a gap
of 48 years also in South Africa – at the Wanderers between South Africa and
New Zealand. The first Test to start on Boxing
Day in Australia was between Australia and West Indies in 1968-69 at
Melbourne. But it was not until 1981-82 that the tradition really took off.
Since then, there has usually been a Test starting on Boxing Day at Melbourne. After their re-admission in to
international cricket South Africa were quick to take the cue from Australia and
started hosting Boxing Day Tests. Initially
Port Elizabeth was used for the occasion, but since then it is Kingsmead,
Durban.
Generally
the quality of cricket in Boxing Day
Tests has matched all the euphoria built around the event. Nearly 74% of Tests
have been decisive. In fact the last time a Boxing
Day Test ended in draw was in 2004 between South Africa vs England also at
Durban. Since then 14 consecutive Boxing Day Tests have ended with a result.
Here
are all the vital statistics of Boxing
Day Tests:
Summary of
results
|
Mts
|
Won
|
Lost
|
Drawn
|
Win%
|
|
|
Australia
|
32
|
19
|
6
|
7
|
59.38
|
|
England
|
14
|
6
|
3
|
5
|
42.86
|
|
Sri Lanka
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
40.00
|
|
South Africa
|
22
|
8
|
7
|
7
|
36.36
|
|
New Zealand
|
9
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
33.33
|
|
Pakistan
|
5
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
20.00
|
|
West Indies
|
11
|
2
|
8
|
1
|
18.18
|
|
India
|
12
|
1
|
9
|
2
|
8.33
|
|
Bangladesh
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0.00
|
|
Zimbabwe
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0.00
|
|
Total
|
57
|
42
|
42
|
15
|
73.68
|
Summary of
matches in each country
|
Mts
|
Decisive
|
Drawn
|
Decisive%
|
|
|
Australia
|
32
|
25
|
7
|
78.13
|
|
Bangladesh
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
100.00
|
|
India
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0.00
|
|
New Zealand
|
5
|
4
|
1
|
80.00
|
|
South Africa
|
17
|
12
|
5
|
70.59
|
|
Zimbabwe
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0.00
|
Summary of
matches at each ground
|
Ground
|
Country
|
Mts
|
Decisive
|
Drawn
|
Win%
|
|
Melbourne Cricket
Ground
|
Australia
|
32
|
25
|
7
|
78.13
|
|
Kingsmead, Durban
|
South Africa
|
12
|
9
|
3
|
75.00
|
|
Basin Reserve, Wellington
|
New Zealand
|
5
|
4
|
1
|
80.00
|
|
St. George’s Park, Port
Elizabeth
|
South Africa
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
66.66
|
|
Old Wanderers,
Johannesburg
|
South Africa
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
100.00
|
|
Shere Bangla National
Stadium, Mirpur
|
Bangladesh
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
100.00
|
|
Wanderers,
Johannesburg
|
South Africa
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0.00
|
|
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
|
India
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0.00
|
|
Harare Sports Club
|
Zimbabwe
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0.00
|
Highest
totals
|
Total
|
For
|
Vs
|
Venue
|
Year
|
|
658-9
|
South Africa
|
West Indies
|
Durban
|
2003
|
|
574-9
|
England
|
South Africa
|
Durban
|
2009
|
|
572-7
|
South Africa
|
England
|
Durban
|
1999
|
|
570-7
|
England
|
South Africa
|
Durban
|
2004
|
|
565-9
|
India
|
West Indies
|
Kolkata
|
1987
|
|
558
|
Australia
|
India
|
Melbourne
|
2003
|
|
555
|
Australia
|
Pakistan
|
Melbourne
|
1983
|
|
551-6
|
Australia
|
England
|
Melbourne
|
2002
|
|
530-5
|
West Indies
|
India
|
Kolkata
|
1987
|
|
518-9
|
New Zealand
|
West Indies
|
Wellington
|
1999
|
|
513
|
England
|
Australia
|
Melbourne
|
2010
|
|
510
|
Australia
|
West Indies
|
Melbourne
|
1968
|
|
500-6
|
Australia
|
Sri Lanka
|
Melbourne
|
1995
|
Lowest
totals
|
Total
|
For
|
Vs
|
Venue
|
Year
|
|
66
|
India
|
South Africa
|
Durban
|
1996
|
|
98
|
Australia
|
England
|
Melbourne
|
2010
|
|
100
|
India
|
South Africa
|
Durban
|
1996
|
|
103
|
New Zealand
|
Pakistan
|
Wellington
|
2003
|
|
109
|
West Indies
|
Australia
|
Melbourne
|
2000
|
|
122
|
Australia
|
West Indies
|
Melbourne
|
1996
|
|
131
|
South Africa
|
India
|
Durban
|
2010
|
|
132
|
Bangladesh
|
New Zealand
|
Wellington
|
2001
|
|
133
|
South Africa
|
England
|
Durban
|
2009
|
|
135
|
Bangladesh
|
New Zealand
|
Wellington
|
2001
|
|
139
|
England
|
South Africa
|
Durban
|
2004
|
|
141
|
Australia
|
England
|
Melbourne
|
1986
|
|
150
|
England
|
Australia
|
Melbourne
|
1990
|
Highest
individual innings
|
Player
|
Score
|
For
|
Vs
|
Venue
|
Year
|
|
G Kirsten
|
275
|
South Africa
|
England
|
Durban
|
1999
|
|
GN Yallop
|
268
|
Australia
|
Pakistan
|
Melbourne
|
1983
|
|
RT Ponting
|
257
|
Australia
|
India
|
Melbourne
|
2003
|
|
JL Langer
|
250
|
Australia
|
England
|
Melbourne
|
2002
|
|
MS Sinclair
|
214
|
New Zealand
|
West Indies
|
Wellington
|
1999
|
|
WM Lawry
|
205
|
Australia
|
West Indies
|
Melbourne
|
1968
|
|
V Sehwag
|
195
|
India
|
Australia
|
Melbourne
|
2003
|
|
G Kirsten
|
180
|
South Africa
|
Sri Lanka
|
Durban
|
2000
|
|
JH Kallis
|
177
|
South Africa
|
West Indies
|
Durban
|
2003
|
|
MA Taylor
|
170
|
Australia
|
South Africa
|
Melbourne
|
1993
|
Most 100s
|
100s
|
|
|
ML Hayden (Aus)
|
6
|
|
RT Ponting (Aus)
|
4
|
|
JH Kallis (SA)
|
4
|
|
SR Waugh (Aus)
|
3
|
|
G Kirsten (SA)
|
3
|
|
AR Border (Aus)
|
2
|
|
AJ Stewart (Eng)
|
2
|
|
SR Tendulkar (WI)
|
2
|
|
S Chanderpaul (WI)
|
2
|
Best bowling
in an innings
|
Figures
|
For
|
Vs
|
Venue
|
Year
|
|
|
SF Barnes
|
9-103
|
England
|
South Africa
|
Old Wanderers
|
1913
|
|
GB Lawrence
|
8-53
|
South Africa
|
New Zealand
|
Wanderers
|
1961
|
|
SF Barnes
|
8-56
|
England
|
South Africa
|
Old Wanderers
|
1913
|
|
GD McKenzie
|
8-71
|
Australia
|
West Indies
|
Melbourne
|
1968
|
|
AR Caddick
|
7-46
|
England
|
South Africa
|
Durban
|
1999
|
|
BA Reid
|
7-51
|
Australia
|
England
|
Melbourne
|
1990
|
|
SK Warne
|
7-52
|
Australia
|
West Indies
|
Melbourne
|
1992
|
|
SB Doull
|
7-65
|
New Zealand
|
India
|
Wellington
|
1998
|
|
M de Lange
|
7-81
|
South Africa
|
Sri Lanka
|
Durban
|
2011
|
|
DK Lillee
|
7-83
|
Australia
|
West Indies
|
Melbourne
|
1981
|
|
AA Donald
|
7-84
|
South Africa
|
India
|
Pt Elizabeth
|
1992
|
|
FA Rose
|
7-84
|
West Indies
|
South Africa
|
Durban
|
1998
|
Best bowling
in a match
|
Figures
|
For
|
Vs
|
Venue
|
Year
|
|
|
SF Barnes
|
17-159
|
England
|
South Africa
|
Old Wanderers
|
1913
|
|
BA Reid
|
13-148
|
Australia
|
England
|
Melbourne
|
1990
|
|
BA Reid
|
12-126
|
Australia
|
India
|
Melbourne
|
1991
|
|
AA Donald
|
12-139
|
South Africa
|
India
|
Pt Elizabeth
|
1992
|
|
Shoaib Akhtar
|
11-78
|
Pakistan
|
New Zealand
|
Wellington
|
2003
|
|
MA Holding
|
11-107
|
West Indies
|
Australia
|
Melbourne
|
1981
|
|
M Muralitharan
|
11-161
|
Sri Lanka
|
South Africa
|
Durban
|
2000
|
|
DK Lillee
|
10-127
|
Australia
|
West Indies
|
Melbourne
|
1981
|
|
BKV Prasad
|
10-153
|
India
|
South Africa
|
Durban
|
1996
|
|
DW Steyn
|
10-154
|
South Africa
|
Australia
|
Melbourne
|
2008
|
|
GD McKenzie
|
10-159
|
Australia
|
West Indies
|
Melbourne
|
1968
|
|
RJ Hadlee
|
10-176
|
New Zealand
|
Australia
|
Melbourne
|
1987
|
|
M Muralitharan
|
10-190
|
Sri Lanka
|
Bangladesh
|
Mirpur
|
2008
|
Most matches as captain
|
Mts
|
Won
|
Lost
|
Drawn
|
Win%
|
|
|
GC Smith (SA)
|
9
|
3
|
5
|
1
|
33.33
|
|
RT Ponting (Aus)
|
7
|
5
|
2
|
0
|
71.43
|
|
AR Border (Aus)
|
7
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
42.86
|
|
WJ Cronje (SA)
|
6
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
50.00
|
|
SR Waugh (Aus)
|
5
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
100.00
|
|
SP Fleming (NZ)
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
60.00
|
Note:
India’s M Azharuddin and West Indies’ BC Lara lost all three Boxing Day Tests
in which they led their respective sides.
Most appearances
|
Mts
|
|
|
RT Ponting (Aus)
|
15
|
|
SR Waugh (Aus)
|
14
|
|
JH Kallis (SA)
|
14
|
|
MV Boucher (SA)
|
13
|
|
SM Pollock (SA)
|
12
|
