Sold-out tickets for MCG Ashes Test opener raises prospect of world record crowd

Johannesburg: Cricket Australia (CA) has said that the tickets for the opening day of the Ashes Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) have been sold out, which raised the prospect of a world record crowd.

The MCG website stated that maximum capacity at the ground is approximately 1,00,000, which might be completely filled due to the rush to see Australia face England in the fourth Test, and the fact has raised the possibility that the official record attendance at a single day of cricket will be smashed. According to Sport24, this time`s record may eclipse the 90, 800 who watched Australia`s Test against the West Indies at the MCG in 1961, although CA said that some tickets were still available for the second, third and fourth days of the Test. Stating that the sales set the scene for an incredible start to the match, CA Executive General Manager Operations Mike McKenna confirmed the fact that given the impressive demand for tickets for the MCG Test, the world record for crowd attendance at a single day of cricket might be broken. Australia, who have lost the past three Ashes series, are fighting to reverse a 3-0 defeat in England earlier this year, with the first Test of the winter Ashes series to start in Brisbane on November 21, the report added.