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A record crowd for a single day's Test cricket has thronged to the MCG on day one of the Fourth Test.
Fans enjoyed a buzzing atmosphere as Melbourne's mighty stadium lived up to its reputation for attracting huge crowds, with 91,092 making their way through the gates.
Groups of partying young men, families, tourists and cricket purists alike lapped up the colour and movement as England opened its innings.
By tea, the crowd was within 300 of the all-time record attendance for a single day of Test cricket.
Despite the Ashes series having been decided after Australia took a 3-0 lead in Perth, Melbourne sports-lovers queued happily to be part of the now-traditional post-Christmas event.
90,831 is the official count at MCG for Boxing Day. For a dead rubber. Test cricket is dying? #Ashes — ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 26, 2013
Biggest MCG crowds: click here.
Today's attendance at the phenomenal #MCG is so farv 90,623 and counting...this is quite incredible! 200 more to beat WR set in 1961 #Ashes — Devanayagam (@Devanayagam) December 26, 2013
Ben Bronson, 23, and mates Daniel Tyrrell, 23, and Jake Black, 22, all from Sydney, dressed as the Three Amigos with sombreros, ponchos and Mexican moustaches. The Boxing Day Test, they explained, was on their bucket list. It was their first time at the MCG.
"We've come down to have a good time, especially against England," Mr Bronson said.
"I think when you go to the cricket, you need to dress up, you need to be a bit silly, so people can laugh at you and you can have a bit of a laugh yourself."
Justin Rawlins, 22, of Townsville dressed as Snow White, with his eight friends dressing as the seven dwarves and the evil queen.
Mr Rawlins, an economics student, wore Snow White's heavy black wig and velvet gown "because I'm the tallest and I'm pretty".
He said the dress was "itchy and the hair is starting to annoy me".
But they wanted to dress up "because we know everyone would enjoy it and we would too".
90,000 spectators, sun's out and the world's greatest colosseum is humming. Welcome to the #MCG #Ashes — Zach Bentley (@ZachBentley1) December 26, 2013
Jessica Bakes and husband Dan, of Keysborough, brought their family of five including sons Jacob, 14, and Ethan, 10, and daughter Paige, 4, for a day out.
Mrs Bakes said both her sons played cricket and "they love to come and watch Australia play".
Mrs Bakes said she brought "lots of snacks and fruit and drink from home," but would buy chips and hot dogs for the kids for lunch.
She thought that the $88 family entry tickets "was reasonably cheap for a whole day out".
The day started with muggy-overcast conditions and some heavy raindrops, but after lunch it became a glorious sunny day, with temperatures in the high 20s.
Reckon I'm one of a small minority here watching this sober. Punt Rd end heading towards ferality by 5pm. #Ashes #cricket #MCG — JD (@JeffDowsing) December 26, 2013
- with Will Brodie