Name: Record crowd packs MCG for fourth Ashes Test
Uploaded: 2025-12-26T06:07:52.187Z
Duration: 2 min 27 s
Description: A record crowd of more than 93,000 has descended on the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the opening day of the Boxing Day Test. As authorities had warned, there was a heavy police presence amid heightened security concerns.

A record crowd of more than 93,000 has descended on the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the opening day of the Boxing Day Test. As authorities had warned, there was a heavy police presence amid heightened security concerns.

Melbourne

The Ashes Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground saw more than 93,000 spectators, setting a new attendance record for the event. Families and fans, some attending for decades and others for the first time, gathered to witness the iconic sporting rivalry between Australia and England.

Specialist police were deployed as a precaution, reflecting increased security concerns. The event also featured notable charity efforts, including a fan who cycled across 22 countries for mental health awareness, and celebrated a record number of heart health checks inspired by Shane Warne's legacy.

Record crowd packs MCG for fourth Ashes Test

Woo! Go England! Go the Aussies! Putting the final touches in place. Oh, I feel bad for the poms, really. Amid a huge crowd with a touch of royalty. Oh, I'm very nervous. It was patience personified for the members, lining up early until gates opened at 9am. Yeah, tradition for us with the three generations of our family here. We've been coming for about 45 years. One of sport's great rivalries splitting some families down the middle. Look, we can't choose our family. We have to... We get stuck with them, so... For some youngsters, it was their first test. Yeah, I'm very excited. For others, the pilgrimage to the G has been a lifetime in the making. It's been on my bucket list, like, since I was a child. So I know we don't normally beat you, but if we're going to come here anyway, it's always going to be Oxford Day. Very few, however, worked as hard to get to the game as Rob Goliath, who cycled 22,000 kilometres through 22 countries in six months to be here for day one. Yeah, it's great. A bit overwhelming. But, yeah, really nice. Just couldn't believe it was the coldest day since the entire journey coming in. His ride was to raise money for mental health charities, and he celebrated in style. Ha-ha-ha! Specialist police armed with semi-automatic weapons patrolled the precinct as an added security measure. You know, recent events, you know, it's always in the back of your mind, but you've got to keep moving forward, and their intention is to stop us doing things like that. So, you know, we've got to keep going and enjoy these moments together, yeah? And while the Asher's earned maybe safely in the hands of the Aussies, there was still plenty to play for. To be here live is just unbelievable. You know what? We've got nothing to lose. The record for the biggest Asher's Boxing Day test crowd broken today, with more than 93,000 through the gate. Organisers are confident they might not only beat that figure, they might break the total crowd attendance for an Asher's test of 271,000 people. I think that's realistic, and by the sign of things behind me, you can see the members' gates flying, so that's always a good sign. So I think we can. A record, too, in the making for heart health checks, as Shane Warne's legacy deepens. We're about to hit our 400,000 tests this year over Boxing Day, which is another record. Harvey Biggs, 10 News.

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