The ICC, Melbourne Cricket Club and Cricket Victoria have joined forces to establish an equipment drive event for the ICC’s East Asia-Pacific (EAP) Region at the Boxing Day Test between Australia and South Africa. Pads, bats - and in particular, balls - are sometimes scarcely available (or too expensive) and with the game's increasing popularity in the region, organisers hope the public will donate their old equipment to a worthy cause:

The initiative calls on all Victorians to donate their unwanted cricket gear by bringing it with them to the MCG. A collection point will be set up outside Gate 6 on days one, two and three of the Boxing Day Test. The equipment will be distributed to countries such as Fiji, Cook Islands, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.