First things first, any match being played in Melbourne this summer has to first take permission from the weather gods. As far as the same for the first day of the second Test match between Australia and South Africa is concerned, all the stakeholders can expect pretty much an uninterrupted day of play barring a brief period in the afternoon which consists of rain probability in single-digit figures according to AccuWeather.
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As Test action returns to the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground for the customary Boxing Day Test, the venue will be hosting its eighth international match (in addition to three rain-abandoned ICC T20 World Cup 2022 matches) of 2022. MCG’s rich Test history of hosting 114 matches has witnessed hosts Australia participating on each occasion to win 65 and lose 32 matches over the years.
Set to partake in a Test match here after as many as 14 years, South Africa have won three and lost seven out of their 12 Tests at this venue. With no cricketer part of the current South African squad having played a Melbourne Test in the past, don’t be surprised due to their absence in the below mentioned records.
Melbourne Cricket Ground records in Tests
First five spots in the list of highest Test run-scorers at this stadium continue to be occupied by retired Australian cricketers namely Don Bradman (1,671), Ricky Ponting (1,338), Steve Waugh (1,284), Allan Border (1,272) and Greg Chappell (1,257). A list of best Test batters here among active cricketers is provided below:
| Batter | Matches | Runs | Highest | Average | 100 | 50 |
| Steve Smith (AUS) | 9 | 932 | 192 | 84.72 | 4 | 3 |
| David Warner (AUS) | 9 | 668 | 144 | 44.53 | 2 | 2 |
| Usman Khawaja (AUS) | 4 | 379 | 144 | 54.14 | 1 | 2 |
| Ajinkya Rahane (IND) | 3 | 369 | 147 | 73.8 | 2 | 0 |
| Virat Kohli (IND) | 3 | 316 | 169 | 52.66 | 1 | 2 |
Highest wicket-takers in Melbourne Tests are also retired Australian cricketers namely Denniss Lillee (82), Shane Warne (76), Hugh Trumble (46), Graham McKenzie (45) and Glenn McGrath (42). Active bowlers with most wickets in Melbourne Tests are:
| Bowler | Matches | Wickets | Average | SR | 5 |
| Nathan Lyon (AUS) | 11 | 37 | 31.83 | 61.4 | 1 |
| Pat Cummins (AUS) | 5 | 24 | 18.66 | 41.5 | 2 |
| Mitchell Starc (AUS) | 5 | 18 | 29.38 | 53.3 | 0 |
| James Anderson (ENG) | 4 | 17 | 20.47 | 52.7 | 0 |
| Jasprit Bumrah (IND) | 2 | 15 | 13.06 | 31.1 | 1 |
Highest innings totals in Melbourne Tests
| Score | Overs | Team | Opposition | Year |
| 624/8d | 142 | Australia | Pakistan | 2016 |
| 604 | 140.5×8 | Australia | England | 1937 |
| 600 | 149.5×8 | Australia | England | 1925 |
| 589 | 190.5 | England | Australia | 1912 |
| 578 | 126.2 | Australia | South Africa | 1911 |
Considered as a batting surface in the recent years in spite of its latest Test being a three-day contest, MCG has witnessed batting teams touching the 600-run mark thrice and touching the 500-run mark 29 times in all these years.
England hold the record of the highest successful Test run-chase at this venue. In what remains the only successful 300+ run-chase in Melbourne Tests, it had been made possible after England chased down a 332-run target with three wickets in hand almost a century ago.
