Attendance figures

Press, 26 February 1986, Page 64

Attendance figures

By

DAVID LEGGAT

Despite losing one and a half days through rain, receipts for the first cricket test between Australia and New Zealand should not fall far short of the New Zealand Cricket Council’s budget for the match.

The attendance for the first three days of the test were about 6550 on Friday, 7150 on Saturday and a paltry 3000 on Sunday, partly attributable to the threat of rain that day. According to the treasurer of the Wellington Cricket Association, Mr Alan Isaac, receipts for the match should be about $95,000, which is $5OOO short of the New

Zealand council estimate. No figures were available yesterday for the attendance on the fourth morning, before the rain set in. The rain which brought the first test to a soggy, unsatisfactory conclusion continues a jinx Which has affected Basin ’ Reserve internationals over the last five years. The most recent test to have had no interruptions was the win over India in 1980-81. Since then, the four tests to have been plaved in the capital city have been halted by rain — Australia in 1982 (drawn), Sri Lanka in 1983 (New Zealand won by six wickets), England in 1984 (drawn) and Pakistan last year (drawn).

If Canterbury Cricket Association administrators believe they are alone in wondering how to attract back spectators for the Shell Trophy competition they are wrong. The three trophy iriatches in the Basin Reserve this season, against Central Districts, Otago and Northern Districts, produced a total receipt of $2OOO. That figure was approximately doubled when Canterbury played Wellington at the Hutt recreation ground.

That is in sharp contrast to Shell Cup one-day attendances. The three games at the Basin Reserve grossed $45,000 for the W.C.A. with a top attendance of about 5000 for the Canterbury match.