Black Caps v Australia the hottest ticket in town
An influx of Australian fans and a cramped Basin Reserve capacity have the big-ticket item of the home cricket season flying towards a pre-Christmas sellout, more than two months out from the match.
Captain Pat Cummins’ Australia – the current world test champions – will face the inaugural 2019 champions the Black Caps in a two-test series which starts in Wellington on Thursday, February 29.
New Zealand Cricket confirmed that 75% of all available tickets – single days and match passes – had already been sold, and the first test was on track to be sold out by Christmas.
It was easily the fastest-selling fixture of the home summer, in which the Black Caps will host Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Africa and Australia.
More than 500 travelling Australian fans had already bought tickets for the Basin test, NZC said, including a tour group of 250 who will perch in the RA Vance Stand.
A check of the NZC site yesterday revealed a handful of $50 category B day passes in the grandstands available, plus $120 match passes for the embankment.
Test matches in New Zealand rarely sell out, with visits by Australia, India and England the exceptions.
In February, a horde of travelling English fans saw days one and two at the Basin sell out, as the hosts went on to win an epic test by one run on the final day.
NZC said the Basin’s official cricket capacity was now 6400, a far cry from when it was officially listed at 12,500, when fans would cram every vantage point for midweek one-day internationals in the 1990s.
Health and safety regulations now require a certain amount of space per spectator, hence the more limited number of general admission tickets sold.
The Basin is the smallest of New Zealand’s four regular test venues but is the country’s most successful, with 23 of the team’s 73 home test wins achieved in the capital. The Black Caps are on a five-test winning streak there after dual victories over England and Sri Lanka this year.
Christchurch’s Hagley Oval – official capacity 8000 – hosts the second test, starting on March 8. Australia’s tour kicks off with three T20 internationals at Wellington’s Sky Stadium (February 21) and Auckland’s Eden Park (February 23 and 25).*