Fans stay away from cricket

Press, 19 July 1983, Page 38

Fans stay away from cricket

NZPA London Sunday test cricket in England may be a thing of the past, after fans coldshouldered the fourth day’s play of the first test between England and New Zealand at the Oval. Fewer than 6000 spectators watched England crawl to its second innings total of 446 for six declared.

England’s snailpace batting, the attraction of the exciting British Open golf on television and the continuing heatwave may have been contributing factors, but cricket officials say the Sunday test experiment may now be axed. “Receipts for the day’s play were extremely disappointing,” said Peter Lush, the Test and County Cricket Board promotions officer, yesterday. “We haven’t received the

strong evidence which we need to continue the experiment and it would be fair to say that Sunday test cricket, particularly in London, may be in jeopardy.” The first test match to include Sunday play was the one against Australia at Trent Bridge two years ago. In the same season, 18,000 turned up on a Sunday at Old Trafford, but then the Australians were being overpowered by lan Botham.

The Oval’s giant screen, used for replays, and similar to the one at Melbourne Cricket Ground, may also be on the way out. The umpire, Dickie Bird, ordered that the screen be blanked out after lunch yesterday when New Zealand fieldsmen said it was distracting them.