The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
On Sunday (17/11/2013) I had the opportunity to attend Open
Day at the MCG which was celebrating 175 years of the Melbourne Cricket Club
(MCC). The MCC was founded on 15th
November 1838 when five men agreed to form a cricket club in Melbourne. The MCG itself was built 15 years later in
1853 and is colloquially known as the ‘G.
Over the last 160 years the MCG has hosted numerous sporting events,
including cricket and Australian football (AFL), but also the Melbourne
Olympics (1956) and Commonwealth Games (2006).
With a capacity of 100,024 seats the atmosphere created in
this stadium is intense, spine-tingling, dramatic, emotional, just ‘marvellous’
as Richie Benaud would say. Being based
in Brisbane I have only been to the MCG a handful of times, but it is always a
memorable experience. My favourite
memory would have to be the finish of the women’s marathon in the 2006
Commonwealth Games when the late Australian Kerryn McCann entered the ‘G
and won against Kenyan Hellen Koskei in a sprint finish in front of 90,000
cheering fans.
So after a miserable week of cold, wet and windy weather,
the weather and sporting gods brought out an almost perfect, sunny, 23 degree
day for Open Day. Guided tours of the
MCG can be taken throughout the week, but
Open Day allowed the general public FREE access to a self-guided tour of
one of the best sporting stadiums in the world.
Visitors were able to wander through the Long Room (normally limited to
members) and the Committee Room, view the Cricket Nets, sit in the Cricket
Viewing Rooms (very comfortable!), inspect the change rooms, medical facilities
and press room, enjoy the view from the media centre and press box (one of the
best seats in the house) and probably the highlight for many; walk or kick the
footy on the hallowed MCG grass!
Open Day was certainly a popular event (thousands attended),
and at times it felt a bit like you were in a cattle yard. I would recommended the guided tour for those
interested in seeing the MCG as the MCC guides are a wealth of knowledge and
you are able to spend much more time in each area of the stadium. The only thing you would miss out on is being
able to walk on the field.
The next big event at the MCG will be the Boxing Day Ashes
Test match between Australia and England.
Hopefully by this time, the Aussies will be leading the series!
Below are some photos from the day.
LB
View of Melbourne’s sporting precinct from the Eureka Skydeck – 88 floors up.
View from the members dining room.
Just a few people on the field.
Bill Lawry Cricket Nets.
Medical Rooms next to Players Change Rooms.
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