The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Ticket sales slow for first India-Australia Test

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Friday, Nov 30, 2007
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Ticket sales slow for first India-Australia Test

Melbourne: Despite the tremendous anticipation surrounding India’s cricket tour of Australia, ticket sales for the first Test starting on December 26 have not kept pace with the excitement generated.

Just over 22,000 tickets have been sold for the first day’s play at the Melbourne Cricket Ground which, though high for a non-Ashes year, compares poorly with almost 67,000 at the corresponding stage last year, when Boxing Day was sold out for England.

Incidentally, when South Africa toured in 2005-06, only 11,000 tickets had been sold for Boxing Day at the same stage.

Promotional strategies

Cricket Victoria staff held a three-hour meeting on Wednesday to discuss promotional strategies for the first Test, most of which will be rolled out in the second half of December. However, they are restricted in their access to the star players in the visiting team as India will land in Melbourne with just enough time for a three-day encounter with Victoria at the Junction Oval starting on December 20.

Australian speedster Brett Lee may put an India-Australia Test series at par with the Ashes, but the oldest rivalry in cricket is still the showpiece event in the domestic calendar.

Recognising that fact, Cricket Australia (CA) is set to decide on a proposal to make the Ashes six-Test contests. CA wants to play a Test in every State when England tours. — PTI

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