The Albury captain, playing for Marylebone Cricket Club, played the standout innings of the traditional post-Ashes clash against Melbourne Cricket Club.

Dixon's half-century was ultimately in vain as the MCC closed their 50 overs on 7/210 in response to Melbourne's 8/239 but it was a day he'll never forget.

"Melbourne Cricket Club's hospitality was fantastic," Dixon said.

"They hosted us for dinner in the Long Room and during the day's play, partners of the players were hosted in the committee room.

"It was the full experience. We were in the rooms, the scoreboard was going, the game was live on video in the ground and the chance to play on the Test pitch was amazing.

"It goes to show because if that's a more challenging wicket at Test level, it was still probably the flattest wicket I've ever played on!"

The game was played in temperatures approaching 40C.

"It's such a big oval and the thing you notice is that the boundaries are huge," Dixon said.

"There were hardly any fours and only a couple of sixes throughout the whole day.

"It was just a great experience and the way Melbourne Cricket Club, as an institution, hosted it, was phenomenal.

"Yes, batting there was surreal but it was more fielding and bowling, the fact you're stood there in a 95,000-seater stadium and you can only imagine what it must be like for those professionals and during the Boxing Day Test, what it must be like to have that place full and rocking.

"It must just be awesome."

Melbourne's team, captained by Blake Thomson, included Western Bulldogs defender Alex Keath and former Sheffield Shield bowler Andrew Fekete.

Thomson scored 57 and fellow opener Darcy Daly retired 53 not out.

"It was a great experience," Dixon said.

"That fixture will be played there in four years' time and hopefully I'll get selected again.

"It was great to build that relationship not just with the Melbourne guys but the Marylebone Cricket Club members in Australia, who are predominantly in Sydney and Melbourne.

"The way it was presented was the full first-class experience, which shows the regard both clubs place on that fixture."

ALSO IN SPORT

Dixon, batting down the order for Albury this season, had only played five innings in 2021/22 prior to this game, with a top score of 25.

"It was great to play on such a good pitch and the outfield was quick, which meant I could go back to playing the way I do in the UK; predominantly on the floor, being able to go square of the wicket and knock it down the ground with a bit more confidence.

"It made me realise maybe I've got another gear, that I need to start batting again and being more proactive in the Albury side.

"I'm not a particularly big hitter so I've always found it easier to have time and some pace on the ball.

"As a one-off experience, it was a solid bowling attack.

"Getting to face Fekete, who I think got the Tasmania medal only a few years ago, it stoked a bit of fire in the belly to try to reproduce that kind of form again for Albury."

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