Melbourne, Dec 27 : A record total of 162,408 fans attended Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Big Bash League 15 matches at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Optus Stadium.

Friday's attendance shattered the record set 12 months ago when 152,375 fans came through the gates on Boxing Day 2024. All three matches set attendance records, showcasing the strength and popularity of Australia's national sport.

In Melbourne, a crowd of 94,199 watched 20 wickets fall in the fourth Ashes Test. This was a record attendance for a day of cricket in Australia, surpassing the previous record of 93,013 for the ODI World Cup final in 2015. The dayâ??s second match saw the Melbourne Stars defeat the Sydney Sixers by seven wickets in front of 25,589 fans, the largest ever crowd at the SCGâ??s annual Boxing Day fixture.

The national single-day attendance record was then sealed at Optus Stadium as the Perth Scorchers welcomed 42,620 fansâ??their largest Boxing Day Bash crowd, eclipsing the previous record set in BBL 13 â?? to watch them host reigning champions Hobart Hurricanes.

The Boxing Day attendance record comes after both total and single-day records were set across the opening three Ashes Tests, with the Big Bash achieving major increases in attendances and broadcast audiences across Foxtel and Seven.

Todd Greenberg, Cricket Australia CEO, said, â??Boxing Day 2025 has been a landmark day for Australian Cricket, with records tumbling across all three venues to play host to Test and BBL matches.

â??To set a new single day attendance record of 162,408 is a proud moment for Australian Cricket and reflects our sportâ??s popularity and strength nationwide.

"The Boxing Day Test is bigger than cricket. It is one of the nation's great events and those who were at the MCG yesterday will cherish the experience forever.

â??Similarly, attending Big Bash games is a summer ritual for many Australian families and the buzz around the competition is as loud as itâ??s ever been. Weâ??re seeing incredible performances, record run chases and a continued a trend of nail-biting finishes every night.

â??The unmissable on-field action has driven record crowds to every Test match, with all formats experiencing attendance and audience growth this summer.

â??We thank all those who watched or attended a match on an incredible day for cricket and look forward to seeing packed venues around the country for the remainder of the summer.â??

/IANS