The accidental revolution: how the 1971 MCG washout rewrote the rules of cricket

IMAGINE for a moment that it is January 1971.

- PRASHANT KUMAR

You are standing outside the gates of the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. The air is thick with that heavy, humid Australian heat, but there is no sound of willow on leather. Instead, for three straight days, you’ve heard nothing but the relentless patter of rain on the stadium roof.Today, the Boxing Day Test is an MCG ritual. In 1971, it was a New Year Test between Australia and England — and it was all set to be a washout. To the officials, it was a financial nightmare; to the fans, it was a stolen week. Behind the scenes, the men in blazers were unsure, the ledgers were bleeding red, the fans were bitter, and the “gentleman’s Game” felt as stagnant as the puddles on the outfield.

On January 5, the rain gods finally relented on what should have been the final day, but there wasn't enough time left to save the Test. Tradition dictated that the teams should simply pack their bags and move on to the next venue. However, something extraordinary happened that would change our game forever. Not because of a grand vision, but because of a desperate, “why not?” shrug of the shoulders.

A desperate sprint in marathon whites