‘Taxi driver test’ hinting towards great crowd attendance during Ashes: Cricket Australia

SYDNEY - Cricket Australia is confident that despite the abysmal early season crowds, the upcoming Ashes series would prove to be successful.

Australia has witnessed horrid attendances for the ODI series against Sri Lanka - 19,309 at the MCG, 11,495 at the SCG and 9037 at the Gabba, and a measly 5,845 for Sunday’s Twenty20 exhibition match at the Gabba.

“There’s no doubt the attendances for Sri Lanka were disappointing and the attendance last night was disappointing also,” the Sydney Morning herald quoted CA spokesman Peter Young, as saying.

“(But) if you do the taxi driver test, everyone in Australia is talking about cricket, and in terms of media coverage last week cricket was second only to the royal engagement of Kate and William,” he added.

Young further said that the board had to host Sri Lanka for the ODI series to prevent the Australian international program from going beyond January.

“The biggest reason for playing against Sri Lanka at the time that we did was that it was the only time we could play it with the World Cup following so quickly. But the attendances were disappointing and there’s nothing more we can say about it,” Young said. (ANI)