'It's hard to beat 150 years of history.'
It was a memorable reunion as cricketing greats Ian Botham and Greg Chappell came together in Melbourne on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, to announce celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the first-ever Test between Australia and England, to be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, from March 11-15, 2027.
The two Ashes rivals first clashed at MCG in March 1877, with Australia winning the single-innings timeless match played between March 15 to 19, by 45 runs, before England won the second match at the same venue to tie the series 1-1.
One hundred years later, marking the centenary of Test cricket, a special Test match was played again between Australia and England again at the MCG. Interestingly, Australia won the match by the same margin -- 45 runs!
Greg Chappell, who captained Australia in the Centenary Test, recalled how he 'represented' England in back-yard matches against elder brother Ian, who played as Australia.
'It's hard to beat 150 years of history,' Chappell said alongside Botham.
'Sadly, we've been alive for half of it.'
Cricket Australia will open a ticket ballot on December 23 for the historic non-Ashes Test, commemorating the nations' first Test in 1877 at the MCG.
© 2025