**Official** 5th Test at Sydney, 3-7 Jan 2025

[trundler]

this is almost certainly the most intensely followed Test series ever and by quite a margin.

West Indies in Australia in 1960.

 

[Window]

I thought maybe the Ashes 2005 series would have greater attendance and viewership since it’s talked about so often but it looks like it was below 500k attendance. Maybe TV viewership was higher?

Ashes set attendance firsts

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has reported new attendance landmarks for this summer’s men’s and women’s Ashes series,...

www.thestadiumbusiness.com

 

[Daemon]

Can't compare viewership across eras. The 2000s had no protective equipment streaming services.

 

[Sunil1z]

West Indies in Australia in 1960.

 

[Starfighter]

Sydney pitch is rated satisfactory.

What's the point if it can't even be 'below average'?

 

[Victor Ian]

Let's wait enough time to forget before asking if it's the most memorable.

 

[Shady Slim]

Sydney pitch is rated satisfactory.

excellent

 

[Qlder]

Sydney pitch is rated satisfactory.

What's the point if it can't even be 'below average'?

Well Beau Webster did average 96.00 on it

 

[Burgey]

View attachment 44211

I've seen more than a few people say this about this series and the 4th test in particular, and even though I really enjoyed it, it seems a bit OTT? Certainly an engrossing series but surely not close to an all timer right

I think it was pretty compelling becasue both teams' batting largely sucked on spicy decks. There was always something happening. Agree it wasn't really "one of the best" though.

For series in Aus I would rate the 79/80 WI series as well ahead for quality, as was the last BGT series here. One often overlooked but imo awesome series was the 92/93 Frank Worrell series. Had a very close draw in Brisbane to kick it off with Ian Bishop batting it out, then Boxing Day was Warne's sort of arrival as a bowler taking 7 fer on day five. Sydney had Lara's 277, Adelaide was the one run finish so the series went to the wire, with WI carrying the day on the back of Ambrose 7/1 spell in Perth. Some epic individual performances that series.

 

[Burgey]

West Indies in Australia in 1960.

I don't know that getting updates via overnight telegram compares with the level of fan engagement on display here tbh