File photo of Ben Stokes (left) and Rohit Sharma.© AFP
The ticket prices for the Lord's Test involving India and England next summer have been increased despite a tepid response from the fans for the game against Sri Lanka this season. Lord's owner Marylebone Cricket Club had come in for criticism for the ticket prices for this summer's Test between England and Sri Lanka. The five-match Test series between India and England begins on June 20 with the third game scheduled at Lord's from July 10. Of late, former England crickter David Lloyd has lashed out at the increased ticket price for the India vs England Lord's Test.
The cheapest tickets for the Lord's Test involving India are priced at 90 pound each and they offer restricted views. For the unrestricted views, the fans will have to shell out anything between 120-175 pound, reported ESPNcricinfo.
The tickets with restricted views for last month's Test against Sri Lanka ranged from 115 to 140 pound. The match ended on day four with only 9000 spectators in attendance, filling only one third of the stadium capacity.
"No doubt Lord's will still be full, but increasing ticket prices to a whopping 175 pound for next July's third Test between England and India beggars belief," wrote Llyod in his column on Daily Mail.
"The warning signs are flashing. More than ever, Test cricket is in danger of becoming an elite showpiece, of narrowing the cross section of society who will even consider attending such an event.
"Who actually sets the price? Name names. Who says: I think it should be X? And who responds: Aye, seems about right. I'd like to know the answer. These people are in a totally different ball park to me.
"I'm the voice of the everyday fan. So, the face value cost of attending a single day of a Lord's Test is utterly preposterous to me.
"If you want evidence of people thinking like me, dive on to social media. It's full of those who say they can't afford to go.
"Times are tough at the minute. I'm retired, and I can't justify 120-175 pound. That doesn't fit my priorities. To me, a round figure of 100 pound for the very best seats in the house seems right. And 50-60 pound for other parts of the famous 31,000-capacity ground," he concluded.
(With PTI Inputs)