The Melbourne Cricket Club have defeated the Marylebone Cricket Club by 29 runs in the 16th clash between two of the world’s most prominent sporting clubs at the MCG on New Year's Eve.
Inherently known as ‘Day 6’ of either the Melbourne Cricket Ground or Lord’s Cricket Ground Test matches during an Ashes Tour, the match has been a staple of both Australia and England Ashes tours, since the first game was played between the two clubs on June 23, 1993.The Melbourne XI featured a mix of former Premier Cricket and Premiership players mixed with some of the Club’s current-day stalwarts.
Led by current First XI captain, Blake Thomson, the XI featured First XI wicket-keeper, Jack Harper, plus former Sheffield Shield player, Andrew Fekete. It was also a return to cricket for former Melbourne, Victorian and Melbourne Stars player, now-Western Bulldogs defender, Alex Keath.
Melbourne’s innings was set up by the opening combination of current-day Premier First XI and Second XI captains respectively, Thomson and Darcy Daly. In oppressively hot conditions, the openers had Melbourne rocketing along a decent rate as both openers brought up their half-centuries, just a tick over the 20-over mark of the first innings.
Daly called his own end to his innings, retiring on 53 from 76 balls, before Thomson was caught for 57 from 74 deliveries.
Melbourne’s middle order provided starts, but were thwarted from being able to carry on as Harper (24 off 27), Keath (36 off 43) and Peter Petricola (27 off 28) each fell as they attempted to up the run-rate.
From thereon, Marylebone were able to keep a hold on a Melbourne total that at times looked pushing north of 300.
Adam Senn was the pick of the visitors’ bowlers with 3/43 from seven overs, while Dave Miller also chipped in as the other multiple wicket-taker with 2/38 from seven overs. Simon Hawk (1/31 from 10 overs) and Andrew James (1/26 from nine overs) were also tidy.
In response, a mixture of tight bowling and cautious stroke play meant that Melbourne’s target was never truly headed.
The match’s top score of 62 not out from Ross Dixon was the standout for visitors, while contributions from both openers, Tim Hodgson (31) and Simon Lambert (21), plus some low-order hitting from Miller (27) were notable performances.
For the home side, Paul Jubber and Charles Holmes took two wickets apiece, while Fekete’s experience shone through with a miserly 1/28 from his nine overs.
The win for Melbourne brings the head-to-head ledger up to 8-7 in Marylebone’s favour (with one wash-out), with the next fixture set for the UK Ashes Tour in 2023.
Melbourne Cricket Club v Marylebone Cricket Club
Friday December 31, 2021 | Melbourne Cricket Ground, MelbourneMATCH RESULT
Melbourne Cricket Club 8/239 (BR Thomson 57, DP Daly 53ret, AR Keath 36, AA Senn 3/43) def. Marylebone Cricket Club 7/210 (RPR Dixon 62*, TP Hodgson 31, CG Holmes 2/30, PI Jubber 2/42) by 29 runs
SQUADS
Melbourne Cricket Club: Mark Butler, Thomas Cesaro, Darcy Daly, Andrew Fekete, Jack Harper, Charles Holmes, Paul Jubber, Alex Keath, Ash Middlin, Peter Petricola, Blake Thomson (C), Braden Tuohey
Marylebone Cricket Club: Luke Blackaby, Toby Coleman (C), Ross Dixon, Simon Hawk, Tim Hodgson, Andrew James, Simon Lambert, Dave Miller, Nadeem Mohammed, Nick Oldridge, Adam Senn
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
June 23, 1993 (Lord’s): Marylebone Cricket Club 5/251 (BC Broad 116, AFD Ellison 41, NJL Trestrail 30, MS Anderson 3/38) def. Melbourne Cricket Club 9/245 (SM McCooke 104, RI Templeton 44 MWD Sholly 41) by six runs
December 30, 1994 (MCG): Marylebone Cricket Club 8/182 (NJL Trestrail 45, DC Briance 40) def. Melbourne Cricket Club 111 (MWD Sholly 34, GH Dean 4/14, S Dyson 3/22) by 71 runs
June 26, 1997 (Lord’s): No Result
December 31, 1998 (MCG): Melbourne Cricket Club 5/243 (WG Ayres 80, MWD Sholly 50 ret., RI Templeton 45) def. Marylebone Cricket Club 122 by 121 runs
April 15, 2001 (Hong Kong Cricket Club): Marylebone Cricket Club 3/310 (MW Gatting 154*, RA Kettleborough 36) def. Melbourne Cricket Club 5/306 (MW Sholly 135, PI Jubber 70, MJ Marthy 44*, R Cooke 3/64) by four runs
July 24, 2001 (Lord’s): Marylebone Cricket Club 8/217 (MW Cowell 59, AIC Dodemaide 46, WS Kendall 43, HA Lane 3/34) def. Melbourne Cricket Club 194 (LJ McRae 42, BJ Hodge 36, Sutherland 32*, GJ Kuris 3/26, JM Attfield 3/52) by 23 runs
January 2, 2002 (Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai): Marylebone Cricket Club 8/248 (L Potter 69, AIC Dodemaide 32*, SH Cook 6/55) def. Melbourne Cricket Club 9/215 (MS Pinniger 76, DS Shepherd 37, SF Graf 36, L Potter 3/39)
December 31, 2002 (MCG): Marylebone Cricket Club 7/154 (RA Kettleborough 61, T Hodgson 38) def. by Melbourne Cricket Club 2/158 (RJ Ashton 80*, CJ Peake 40, DJ Broad 32*) by eight wickets
July 26, 2005 (Lord’s): Marylebone Cricket Club 5/232 (DM Ward 76, REWG Horridge 42, MW Gatting 35*, PJ Dickson 2/34) def. Melbourne Cricket Club 77 (MN Kendrick 3/0) by 155 runs
December 31, 2006 (MCG): Marylebone Cricket Club 8/173 (N Hicks 41, DJ Kruis 34, EDT Bowen 3/15, NH Quinn 3/28) def. by Melbourne Cricket Club 2/178 (LG Buchanan 84, AJ Kent 48) by eight wickets
July 21, 2009 (Lord’s): Marylebone Cricket Club 7/249 (KP Dutch 74*, JD Bowden 56, DJ Bicknell 43, K Bradshaw 30, JA Fitzgibbon 3/56, A Fekete 2/56) def. Melbourne Cricket Club 1/55 by six runs (DLS method)
December 31, 2010 (MCG): Marylebone Cricket Club 8/234 (I Cockbain 65, AIC Dodemaide 43, D Cranfield-Thompson 46) def. Melbourne Cricket Club 195 (SP Dart 49, AIC Dodemaide 4/36) by 39 runs
April 23, 2011 (Hong Kong Cricket Club): Melbourne Cricket Club 2/86 (AJ Kent 37, PA Petricola 36*) drew with Marylebone Cricket Club DNB. Match Abandoned due to rain
July 23, 2013 (Lord’s): Melbourne Cricket Club 135 (JD Huddart 31, DT Johnston 3/21) def. by Marylebone Cricket Club 5/139 (JP Stephenson 39, SA Sturrock 3/16) by four wickets
December 31, 2013 (MCG): Melbourne Cricket Club 8/245 (WJ Pucovski 56, MJ Brown 44, LJ Edwards 39, JW Paynter 38, LA Blackaby 3/30) def. Marylebone Cricket Club 221 (ER Kilbee 82, JP Stephenson 32, JW Paynter 4/40) by 24 runs
July 21, 2015 (Lord’s): Melbourne Cricket Club 165 (MJ Brown 33, HW Butterworth 32, CA Barrett 3/30 def. by Marylebone Cricket Club 4/169 (GA Adair 57, NV Jeyaratnam 47*) by six wickets
December 31, 2017 (MCG): Melbourne Cricket Club 6/245 (OR Gunning 82, HM Michelmore 70, AP Mooke 50*, T Smith 3/43) def. Marylebone Cricket Club 148 (T Smith 62) by 97 runs
August 19, 2019 (Lord’s): Marylebone Cricket Club 134 (DC Mulholland 58, JE Koop 5/19, JP McNamara 2/7, MW Dwyer 2/24) def. Melbourne Cricket Club 2/133 (SB Harper 72, JH Billington 48*) by eight wickets (DLS method)
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