Surrey may hold ballot for tickets for 'stresstest' friendly with Middlesex
High demand may force Surrey to hold a ballot for tickets when the Oval becomes the first sporting venue in the UK to welcome back spectators since the Covid-19 lockdown began in March.
The county’s two-day friendly against Middlesex on 26-27 July is part of a government pilot scheme for “stress-testing” the return of crowds, along with an as yet unspecified second county fixture, the world snooker championship from 31 July, and the final Saturday of Glorious Goodwood on 1 August.
Though Surrey are yet to receive their headcount from the Sports Grounds Safety Authority, the expectation is that it will be just a fraction of the ground’s 20,000 capacity – reduced at present owing to building work – and that a good proportion of their 13,000strong membership will want to attend.
“The focus will be on a modest number and members will be our first port of call,” said Richard Gould, the Surrey chief executive. “But we hope to have general admission too – and demand will be high after such a long wait – so there may have to be a ballot or similar.
“But we’re chuffed to be part of the pilot scheme and we will hopefully do our bit for all sports to demonstrate that supporters can, subject to some restrictions, watch in a safe manner.”
The plan will be to split the Oval into halves, with the Pavilion End of the ground restricted to players and staff and spectators occupying the Vauxhall End. The club has already welcomed a limited number of members to watch the England v West Indies Test series on the rooftop bar of the OCS Stand.
Surrey feel confident they will demonstrate that limited crowds can return, having already been a biosecure training venue for England’s Test players. Their own squad have been back on site since 22 June, having been one of two counties, along with Lancashire, to forgo use of the furlough scheme.
There is, however, a hope the 1 October start date for sporting crowds could be brought forward for cricket if the pilot succeeds, with the redball Bob Willis Trophy beginning on 1 August and then followed by the T20 Blast four weeks later.
“If we have to wait until next year for crowds to return it would end up being an 18-month gap since the end of the 2019 season,” Gould said. “That is an issue specific to cricket and the sooner we’re back to normal the better.”