According to Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg, the organization is also inviting every living captain of England and Australia, male or female, and every player who featured in the 1977 centenary Test to attend. The match will be played from 11 March. As head of state of the UK and Australia, Queen Elizabeth II attended the fifth day of the centenary Test in 1977 - a match also held in Melbourne.
Whether King Charles will accept the invitation to attend the 150th anniversary Test has not been announced. There has been criticism of the match being held as a day-night affair, though the exact details of that criticism are not specified. The Boxing Day Test held at the MCG during this winter's Ashes ended inside two days, and England lost 4-1 to Australia in the Ashes this winter.
We want to make it an occasion that celebrates the combat between England and Australia but more broadly celebrates Test cricket and the beauty of Test cricket.
' England are planning a warm-up match before the landmark Test, but the specific date has not been disclosed. England will travel to Australia following their two-Test tour of Bangladesh in February.
I want to make sure we have a long Test match.