The second biggest non-Ashes crowd ever watches the opening day of the second Test in Melbourne
Records tumbled as 80,473 attended day one of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground between Australia and New Zealand.
The haul was the biggest non-Ashes attendance in 44 years when 85,661 rocked up for the visit of Clive Lloyd's West Indies in 1975.
Though the travelling Kiwi contingent were loud, it was Australia who edged the opening day as they closed on 257 for 4.
It was the first time since 1987 that New Zealand had been selected for the Boxing Day Test in Australia.
Outside of Ashes years, Cricket Australia have pursued teams which could offer hefty broadcast deals.
But New Zealand proved on both a financial and sporting level they were worthy of such a lofty status.
You did it! Today’s crowd, 80,473, was the largest ever attendance for a day of Test cricket between Australia and New Zealand!
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) December 26, 2019
Thank you to everyone who attended, including the many thousands of New Zealand fans, who made it a day to remember.🏏 pic.twitter.com/Tf6V5fAkaa
"I thought he crowd was amazing really, 80,000 I saw come up on the total tally there in that last session," Black Caps seamer Trent Boult, who bowled Joe Burns in the first over of the match, said.
"The Kiwi support was pretty cool, a lot of teal, a lot of Black Caps, and some good support from back home. I'm sure they had a good day, but we've got a lot of work still left in the match.
"I was actually quite nervous before the whole start of the match and I don't remember the first ball, but it was nice to get that one right and full and straight and to see it swing back - of course [it would be the same] in any Test match, but with 80,000 people watching you it was pretty exhilarating."
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