Mackay makes cricket history as day one of inaugural Test match sells out

Mackay, Queensland, made cricket history when its inaugural Test match between Australia and Bangladesh sold out on the first day of the game. The Great Barrier Reef Arena at Harrup Park in Mackay hosted the match, becoming the 12th Australian venue to host a Test match. Barry Jansen, a local, mortgaged his house to purchase land for the cricket arena and didn't reveal this to his wife for five years. More than 40 years after Jansen's initial endeavor, the same field saw history unfold in Mackay.

Jansen, who served as a cricket association member in the late 1980s, explained that the cricket association sought to expand but required financial backing. Three members risked their homes by mortgaging them to help fund the expansion. The government grant and a bank loan, secured by their homes, played a crucial role in making the vision a reality.

Harrup Park's Great Barrier Reef Arena, once a cow paddock purchased by local farmers for 1,000 pounds in 1939 to start a cricket club, transformed into a world-class international venue. The playing surface, featuring clay soil similar to the Gabba, garnered praise from selectors, coaches, and players alike.

On game day, the grandstands and hills at Harrup Park's Great Barrier Reef Arena were packed with Bangladeshi locals, waving flags and placards. Shagufta Hasan, a true cricket lover, expressed her excitement about the Mackay Bangladeshi community's unwavering passion for the sport. Mel Dwyer, one of two Cricket Australia official scorers at the game, described scoring a Test match in her home town as a dream come true.