Picture this: the year is 2020. Alyssa Healy hits yet another boundary as a packed MCG watches on. Pop star Katy Perry sings her heart out on stage. There is raucous applause when Australia finally lift the World Cup trophy.
Fast-forward to five years later. It’s a sunny Thursday afternoon – with the same team playing on the same ground. The crowds are far more sparse, but they are still eager and engaged. Australia are chasing a clean sweep, after all.
Molly Strano climbs into the crowd at the T20 World Cup final in 2020. Credit: Getty
For the first time in 90 years, a women’s Test match is being played at the MCG. It’s the final leg of a multi-format Ashes series, in which Australia are undefeated.
The last time the women’s national team played here, a crowd of 86,174 watched them triumph over India in the Twenty20 World Cup final.
On the first day of the women’s Ashes Test, 11,643 were in the stands at the MCG, with the match on track to surpass the aggregate record for a women’s Test – 23,207 set at Trent Bridge in 2023.
But what happened to the other 70-odd thousand who lined the rows in 2020?
“The T20 World Cup final was done extremely well,” said former Australian cricketer and Seven commentator Lisa Sthalekar. “It was planned out years in advance, and there was a slow build-up.
“Unfortunately for us, and probably for the women’s game, COVID hit and everyone wound back what was not required … we’ve had to slowly rebuild.”
Crowds at women’s cricket in Australia are yet to return to the highs of that match. The largest turnout for this Ashes series, before the MCG Test, was at last week’s ODI at Adelaide Oval, with around 10,000 attending.
International women’s T20 World Cup final crowds haven’t matched that of the MCG either. In 2024, New Zealand beat South Africa in Dubai to secure the crown in front of 21,457. The year before, a final between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town was attended by less than 13,000. Both of these grounds have a capacity of 25,000.
This stands in stark contrast to the Australian women’s soccer team, who utilised the momentum that followed their thrilling run in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Matildas-mania took over the country, with over 7 million people tuning into the semi-final clash against England. They had an average attendance of 57,591 for each match during the World Cup.
And the fever continued, with the team managing 16 consecutive sellouts at home games afterwards.
Women’s cricket in this country is yet to experience such crowd longevity. But Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley said that the governing body was committed to providing a platform for women’s cricket.
Alana King in action at the MCG.Credit: Getty Images
“In many ways, the T20 World cup [in 2020] showed what was possible … then the world changed. We kind of felt that we had the opportunity taken away from us to convert all of that interest,” Hockley said.
“We’re really proud that Australian cricket has led the way in terms of investing in the women’s game … I think it’s just testament to the fact that this is arguably Australia’s greatest ever sporting team.
“This is very much about picking up the momentum from 2020 … This is just really the next step. You need to use these big occasions, like the Ashes, to really keep raising the bar.”
The decision to schedule a day-night test that starts on a weekday was carefully considered, said Hockley. The timing was intended to coincide with the men’s Big Bash League finals, and Cricket Australia expected crowds to grow as the evenings wore on.
But with school holidays finished and adults back at work, attending the first two days was difficult for many fans. The timing also clashes with the men’s national side, who are playing their own Test in Sri Lanka.
Cricket Australia has shown its faith in the women’s game by scheduling the tournament at big grounds. Adelaide Oval, the SCG and the MCG have all been stops during this Ashes series.
For father Will Hannah, who attended the Test match with son Josh and daughter Phoebe, it’s a special moment to be watching the team at Melbourne’s sporting centrepiece.
Will, Josh and Phoebe Hannah at the MCG. Credit: Chris Hopkins
“This is the big start, being able to play at this stage. Hopefully they get this opportunity more often … To play at the MCG is the dream for everyone,” Hannah said.
The Test included a wide range of entertainment offerings, including performances by G-Flip, Sampa the Great and a meet-and-greet with children’s cartoon character Bluey.
There was also an effort to promote online. Paid ads appeared on social media – from AFL footballer Pat Lipinski, former footballer Daniel Gorringe and Gogglebox’s Adam Densten.
But while Cricket Australia have tried to implement some of the tactics utilised in the lead-up to the 2020 World Cup, Sthalekar said it had struggled with execution of certain initiatives.
It also doesn’t help that the series isn’t going down to the wire, she said. Australia were already guaranteed the Ashes win – having crushed England in all six of the ODI and T20 matches.
Susan Richardson-Jaeger and daughter Brittany at the first day of the women’s Ashes Test. Credit: Chris Hopkins
Susan Richardson-Jaeger and daughter Brittany Jaeger, who travelled from Adelaide to attend all four days of the Ashes Test, would love to see the crowds reach their 2020 peak.
Richardson-Jaeger said that women’s cricket “just didn’t happen” when she was growing up. But the 69-year-old thinks more can still be done.
“I’d like to see women’s sport promoted a lot more. People need a reminder that the girls are out here playing. And it would be nice to have a big following,” she said.
But regardless of who’s watching, the players are relishing the chance to play on such a stage. England captain Heather Knight said she’d rather play a Test at a famous venue such as the MCG, even if it meant there were more empty seats, than in front of a near-sellout crowd at a smaller ground.
“The chance to play a Test match at the MCG is iconic,” she said. “We’d much rather do that and have the ambition in the future to grow the crowds and bring people in. The chance to play a Test match at the MCG is not one I’d turn down.”
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