[Cricket] Eng v Ind - 5th Test - Edgbaston kick-off 11am

[Official Old Man]

Fifth day ‘sell’ out

Can someone please explain why cricket gives away tickets for a game that surely 1000's want to watch. Charge a nominal fee maybe of £10 or even £15. But free, it costs money just to have the staff in to take the free tickets. Maybe they make their money at the bar.

 

[Eeyore]

I couldn’t have been more wrong! You got our tactics spot on. Total aggression rather than poking about trying to avoid losing wickets!

Yeah, but that is only effective when you realise there is time to play with. So ride out the jaffas. And that is what they did this afternoon. Bairstow knows the balance. Root does it anyway.

4.5 an over will do !

 

[Eeyore]

Can someone please explain why cricket gives away tickets for a game that surely 1000's want to watch. Charge a nominal fee maybe of £10 or even £15. But free, it costs money just to have the staff in to take the free tickets. Maybe they make their money at the bar.

True, but Birmingham would have looked a bit miserly if they hadn't followed suit.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Can someone please explain why cricket gives away tickets for a game that surely 1000's want to watch. Charge a nominal fee maybe of £10 or even £15. But free, it costs money just to have the staff in to take the free tickets. Maybe they make their money at the bar.

Judging by the noise coming from the Hollies Stand after tea today, then I’d say they make a fair whack at the bar …..still can’t see this match going on much beyond lunch …..i still think its great gesture (offset by food/drink/merchandise sales) and encouraging people to watch the game from the ground

 

[Bodian]

Can someone please explain why cricket gives away tickets for a game that surely 1000's want to watch. Charge a nominal fee maybe of £10 or even £15. But free, it costs money just to have the staff in to take the free tickets. Maybe they make their money at the bar.

I think it's a brilliant idea. Opens up cricket to those who can't afford today's prices - and hopefully encourages new fans.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I couldn’t have been more wrong! You got our tactics spot on. Total aggression rather than poking about trying to avoid losing wickets!

Amazing. Although I thought more 'measured aggression' today than previous total aggression we've seen. I mean, it was a relatively sedate 4.5 runs per over today...as ridiculously as that sounds for a 4th day 350+ run chase!

 

[Bold Seagull]

I think it's a brilliant idea. Opens up cricket to those who can't afford today's prices - and hopefully encourages new fans.

The other factor is although the tickets are free, you have to register on the county website to get the free ticket. So they'll probably hope they've got the data of potentially 1000s of new customers they might not normally reach and can ping them T20 offers and the rest. I suspect a data haul of that size is probably worth a bit in it's own right.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Can someone please explain why cricket gives away tickets for a game that surely 1000's want to watch. Charge a nominal fee maybe of £10 or even £15. But free, it costs money just to have the staff in to take the free tickets. Maybe they make their money at the bar.

Realistically there is only likely to be a couple of hours play tomorrow. They will make money through bars and food to cover the costs and it looks much better than an empty ground.

More importantly, anyone going should make their donation to the Bob Willis Fund which supports Prostate Cancer research and so more people benefit.

 

[jakarta]

119 to win

Only 3 wickets down

Both of our best batsmen set

A full days play likely

When do we lose?

 

[Bodian]

Oh - I do wish they wouldn't do this....

 

[Guinness Boy]

Judging by the noise coming from the Hollies Stand after tea today, then I’d say they make a fair whack at the bar …..still can’t see this match going on much beyond lunch …..i still think its great gesture (offset by food/drink/merchandise sales) and encouraging people to watch the game from the ground

The Hollies is great fun. Done it a few times and it's probably the equal best sporting atmosphere I've been in tied with the Barmy Army on the hill at Sydney. Maybe the Darts at Christmas is similar (never been) and, of course, some good days with the Albion but it's non stop in there. The bar take is HUGE.

 

[dangull]

Will be a sensational win if England pull it off, and bookies have England 2/11
India need a few early wickets and those odds will change quickly

This summer has been a great advert for Test cricket anyway.

 

[Titanic]

Overcast - lights on - a hugely important half hour coming up... 119 more runs to win, or 7 wickets.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Hopefully a nice boundary hitting ball picked

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

There we go, haha

 

[CHAPPERS]

They need to get a handle on this. Ridiculous.

 

[Rodney Thomas]

More cheating again. Every time they are down the try to change the bloody ball.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

There we go again, good work India

 

[Rodney Thomas]

There we go again, good work India

That shot of root laughing at Bumrah was fantastic!

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

More cheating again. Every time they are down the try to change the bloody ball.

Funny against NZ we attempted time and time again and suddenly got it changed. NZ and India get it changed more often. Wonder if it's because we hit it harder and these crap balls go out of shape.

I do wonder though an out of shape ball must wobble more so should be an advantage to the bowling side