G Flip, Sampa the Great to light up 'Ashes After Dark'

Music sensations G Flip and Sampa the Great are set to light up next month’s historic day-night Ashes Test at the MCG.

The multi-format series will culminate in the first pink-ball women’s Test ever played at the iconic ground, and to help celebrate, Cricket Australia has revealed the two acts locked in for ‘Ashes After Dark’.

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G Flip will kick off the party on day one of the Test on Thursday, January 30, fresh from winning ARIA Song of the Year for the track The Worst Person Alive.

The Melbourne-born artist’s most recent album DRUMMER topped the ARIA Albums Chart the week of its release and won triple j’s 2023 J Award for Australian Album of the Year.

DRUMMER also saw seven songs voted into the 2023 Hottest 100 countdown, breaking the record for most entries by an artist in a single year.

"I can’t wait to perform at the Women’s Ashes Test at the iconic MCG," G Flip said.

"There is nothing quite like the energy of Aussie fans and playing in front of a crowd in my hometown."

On day two, Friday, January 31, Sampa the Great will take the stage, bringing her unique blend of hip-hop, soul and jazz.

Sampa the Great, a Zambian singer, rapper, and songwriter, with strong links to Melbourne, burst onto the music scene in 2015 with her debut album, The Great Mixtape.

In 2019 she achieved critical acclaim with her album, The Return which won three ARIA Awards, from six nominations, Bandcamp’s Album of the Year, BET’s Amplified Artist of the Month, and the 2019 Australian Music Prize.

In partnership with the Victorian Government, the CommBank Women's Ashes Day-Night Test will be an unmissable event with the inclusion of Ashes After Dark, to be held during the Dinner Break on days one and two.

"I'm very excited to be performing on day two of the Women’s Ashes Test," Sampa the Great said.

"It's a unique opportunity to share my music with a new audience and celebrate the power of women in sport and culture."

Excitement continued building for the day-night Test this week, with a giant pink cricket ball hot air balloon soaring over Melbourne and the MCG on Thursday morning.

The balloon will be tethered in Yarra Park during the Boxing Day Test and will fly over Melbourne before the match. 

Australia will be looking to extend their decade-long hold on the coveted Women’s Ashes trophy as the series heads to some of the country’s biggest stadiums throughout January.

Alyssa Healy’s team are determined to get the better of their fiercest rivals after last year’s Ashes in the UK finished locked at eight points apiece.

It was enough for Australia to retain the trophy, but the Aussies want to win it outright – and the result of the day-night Test could well decide the fate of the series.

"The excitement is building towards the CommBank Women’s Ashes Series which will culminate with the first ever Day-Night Test at the MCG," Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer Nick Hockley said.

"We’re thrilled to have two incredible artists - G Flip and Sampa the Great - performing as part of Ashes After Dark and fans can expect two high energy and entertaining performances.

"We encourage all fans to get along for this historic occasion which will be a great spectacle both on and off the field."

Meanwhile, Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said: “Securing these performers is a massive win and the Women’s Ashes Test Match will be a memorable way to cap off a huge international summer of cricket and another iconic major event bringing fans from across Australia and around the world to our city.”

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

First ODI: January 12: North Sydney Oval, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT

Second ODI: January 14: CitiPower Centre, Melbourne, 10.05am AEDT

Third ODI: January 17: Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 10.05am AEDT

First T20I: January 20: SCG, Sydney, 7.40pm AEDT

Second T20I: January 23: Manuka Oval, Canberra, 7.40pm AEDT

Third T20I: January 25: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 7.10pm ACDT (7.40pm AEDT)

Day-night Test: January 30 - February 2: MCG, Melbourne, 2.30pm AEDT

The rivalry resumes with a blockbuster series in Australia from Jan 12 - Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub