Revealed: The embarrassing act the Mayor of Melbourne has to carry out after losing Ashes cricket bet with London’s Sadiq Khan
Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece has lost a very embarrassing bet with the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, after England claimed a four-wicket victory at the MCG on Saturday.
The Australian politician will now have to hang a picture of the England team inside Melbourne’s Town Hall, despite previously stating that he was confident Steve Smith’s side would take a 4-0 lead in the series during the Boxing Day Test.
The parameters of the bet involved the losing mayor ‘posting the other side’s team photo on the office door for a week’.
Reece, who was sworn in as the city’s 105th Lord Mayor in 2024 after winning the City of Melbourne council elections, even stated on social media that he was ‘looking forward to seeing the Australian Team poster at City Hall in London.’
The Herald Sun has revealed that ahead of the Test match, Mr Reece sent a long text message to the Mayor of London, in which he threw a few jibes at Mr Khan and England for their disappointing performances earlier in the series.
But he might just be eating his words now after England wrapped up the Boxing Day Test in just two days, with this being the shortest game of Test match cricket played at the MCG since Australia faced off against South Africa back in 1932.
Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Nick Reece (pictured) has lost a very embarrassing bet with the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, after England claimed a four-wicket victory at the MCG on Saturday
England ended their 15-year wait to win a Test match in Australia on Saturday after Ben Stokes’ (pictured) side claimed a four-wicket victory in the Boxing Day Test match
Mr Reece had made a bet with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (pictured) that the losing mayor would ‘post the other side’s team photo on the office door for a week’
‘Hi Sadiq,’ Mr Reece said. ‘Thought I should check in, are you still up for our Mayors Bet?
‘England vs Australia, Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
‘Losing Mayor has to post the other side’s team picture on the office door for a week.
‘Now I can understand if you are getting cold feet. It has not been pretty,’ Mr Reece added, noting that England had already lost the urn after going 3-0 down in the series.
‘But maybe your optimism and belief is just what the English team needs?!’
Mr Reece and Mr Khan are known to be good friends, with the former having flown out to London last month to meet with the London Mayor at City Hall.
‘Hi Nick, You are on – in London we don’t back down from challenges!’ Mr Khan responded.
‘Have a great Christmas and I hope you find a good picture of the England team for your office door!!’
Reece was left eating his words after he threw some trash talk at Khan in the build up to the Test (Pictured L-R: Nick Reece, Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg and Aussie legend Merv Hughes)
While Ben Stokes’ side snapped their 15-year wait to win a Test match Down Under, Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) pitch curators have been thrust into the spotlight for the wicket at the 100,000-capacity cricket stadium.
Commentators and players have been queuing up to lambast the spicy wicket, which massively weighed in favour of the bowlers, with 20 wickets falling on day one of the Boxing Day Test which ended after less than two days of cricket.
Cricket Australia are expecting to lose more than $10million (£5m) in ticket sales and broadcasting revenue as a result of the curtailed match, while MCG curator Matt Page took responsibility.
‘I was in a state of shock after the first day, to see everything that happened and 20 wickets in a day, I’ve never been involved in a Test match like it, and hopefully will never be involved in a Test match like it again,’ Page said.
England and Australia will now enjoy a few days off before they return to play out the final Ashes Test of the series in Sydney on Sunday, January 4.
