Few takers for Australia-South Africa warm-up match
By IANSMonday, February 14, 2011
BANGALORE - One is a defending champion and the other is one of the favourites to be next champion, but the match between the two here Tuesday has not enthused cricket lovers in Bangalore.
Even the lowest priced ticket of Rs. 250 for the aam admi stand at the Chinnaswamy Stadium has not been sold out the night before the Australia-South Africa warm-up match ahead of the World Cup.
In sharp contrast, the Rs. 250 ticket fetched Rs.500 in the black market Sunday when India clashed with Australia and won despite scoring a low total of 214 runs.
“Plenty of tickets of all denominations - from Rs. 250 to Rs. 4,000 (the highest priced for a pavilion or corporate box seat) are available,” officials of the Karnataka State Cricket Association said.
They said they could not give the number of tickets sold for Tuesdays tie as tickets were also on sale on line.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium can accommodate 50,000 people and Sunday it was near full, though India-Aussie tie was also a warm-up game.
The stadium will host five World Cup matches but near-full house is likely only for two games featuring India, on Feb 27 against England and March 6 against Ireland.
The match against England is thanks to Kolkatas Eden Gardens not being ready.
The fans may not find other World Cup matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium as attractive or thrilling because England will be playing Ireland on March 2 and Australia will fight it out with Kenya March 13 and Canada March 16.
