Crowd restrictions lifted for Boxing Day Test at MCG

After hitting their latest Covid-19 vaccination milestone, the Victoria government have lifted all restrictions on crowd capacity

The third Test of the 2021/22 Ashes could be held in front of full house after the Victoria state government lifted all restrictions on crowd capacity.

The state has recently hit the latest Covid-19 vaccination milestone on its roadmap out of lockdown, prompting premier Daniel Andrews to allow mass gatherings at sporting events.

The Boxing Day Test is scheduled to be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which has a capacity of over 100,000. The stadium was originally only going to be ticketed to 85 per cent capacity.

Last year’s Boxing Day Test between Australia and India was restricted to just 30,000 fans per day. However, in December 2013, day one of the Boxing Day Test – the fourth match of the 2013/14 Ashes – attracted a record stadium attendance of 91,112.

Commenting on the lifting of restrictions, Andrews said: "There are no more caps, there are no more quotients, no more rules in terms of how many people can be in different spaces. 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."

The 2021/22 Ashes are scheduled to begin on December 8 in Brisbane. The MCG will host the third Test from December 26-30.

Our coverage of the Ashes is brought to you in association with Cricket 22.