• Capacity crowd allowed for Ashes Boxing Day Test

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    The Boxing Day Test between Australia and England will be played in front of a full house, Melbourne authorities said on Thursday as they removed more pandemic restrictions.

    Victoria Premier Dan Andrews said that the state was about to hit 90% vaccination, allowing long-standing restrictions to be swept aside, including capacity limits on sporting events.

    How many spectators, if any, would be allowed into the cavernous 100,000 capacity MCG for the third Ashes Test had been up in the air.

    The crowd for last summer’s Boxing Day Test against India was capped at 30,000 per day due to the pandemic.

    The five-Test Ashes series will start in Brisbane on 8 December before moving to Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and ending in Perth.

    Andrews’ decision was also good news for tennis fans. The first tennis Grand Slam of 2022 is due to start on 17 January at Melbourne Park, which will also be allowed a full-capacity crowd.

    © Agence France-Presse

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    Simon Borchardt