The Sydney Cricket Ground has been the home of New South Wales cricket since 1878. With a capacity of 48,601, the SCG is smaller than the MCG but widely considered the most beautiful cricket ground in Australia. The Members’ Pavilion, dating from 1886, the iconic scoreboard, and the view of the Sydney skyline beyond the Victor Trumper Stand create a setting that rivals any sporting venue in the world. The SCG traditionally hosts the New Year’s Test, beginning on January 3 or 4 each year.
The ground has a rich history of producing spin-friendly pitches, making it a favorite venue for slow bowlers. Shane Warne produced some of his finest performances at the SCG, and the pitch’s reputation for turn and bounce on days 4 and 5 creates absorbing Test cricket. The 2025-26 Ashes 5th Test at the SCG concluded on January 8, 2026, with Australia winning by 5 wickets to seal a 4-1 series victory, with Mitchell Starc claiming the Player of the Series award for his 31 wickets.
The SCG also hosts Big Bash League matches for Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder. While no major ICC events are scheduled at the SCG in mid-2026, the ground remains a cornerstone of Australia’s home summer cricket calendar.
Sydney operates on Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST, UTC+10) in winter and Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT, UTC+11) in summer. A New Year’s Test starting at 10:30 AEDT is 23:30 the previous night in London, 18:30 the previous evening in New York, and 05:00 the same morning in India. Check whatisthetime.now/sydney for current Sydney time or whatisthetime.now/country/australia for full Australian timezone details.