17000 Fans Expected To Attend England-New Zealand Test At Edgbaston Cricket Ground To Hps
Published - 26 May 2021, 03:14 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:46 AM
The second Test of the two-match series between hosts England and World Test Championship finalists New Zealand at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground between June 10-14 could see as many as 17000 fans attending the game which would be 70% of its total capacity.
The move is in accordance with the UK government’s second round of trials of the return of crowds.
The Boris Johnson-led UK government is set to announce which events will be a part of phase two of trials in the upcoming days
Should Edgbaston get the nod, then it would mean a near-capacity crowd will throng to the iconic stadium to witness the encounter between Joe Root and Kane Williamson’s men.
The Edgbaston Cricket Ground has a total capacity of 25000 and when packed completely, it assumed the form of a fortress. England have an enviable record at the venue, having won 28 of the 52 Tests that they have played, losing just nine.
England, however, lost the last Test they played at the venue- the first Ashes encounter of the 2019 series and the hosts will be looking to shrugs off the blip and resume their dominance.
Meanwhile, the first Test of the series will be played keeping in mind government Covid-19 rules and regulations and so only 25 percent of the total seats will be up for grabs at the ‘Home of Cricket’ Lord’s. That means only 7000 fans will be able to watch the international summer opener.
That said, this will be the first time that the international matches will be played in front of crowds since the 2019 summer.
Last year, both England men’s and women’s teams competed behind closed doors at bio-secure venues in Southampton and Old Trafford, Manchester.
Fans were allowed for the first time since September 2019 during the recent round of the Country Championship with around 4000 fans attending the clash between Surrey and Middlesex.
