Hold on to Your Tickets

Oval ticket-holders show faith in Test cricket after cancellation.
Cricinfo.
Friday, 5 June 2020.
PTG 3149-15592.

Eighty-five percent of ticket-holders for this northern summer's rescheduled Test against West Indies at The Oval have opted to roll their tickets over to next year's visit of India, rather than accept a full refund, according to figures released by Surrey on Thursday, the day that the original fixture had been due to get underway.

The news is a vote of confidence for the enduring popularity of Test cricket, given the prospect of all six of England's fixtures against West Indies and Pakistan being played behind closed doors in "bio-secure” venues (PTG 3149-15587 above).

The Oval Test, the first of the 2020 season, would originally have involved West Indies playing at the venue for the first time since 2004. However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (EWCB) announced on Tuesday that that fixture will now begin on July 8 at the Ageas Bowl, with Old Trafford hosting the subsequent two fixtures of the series, on July 16 and 24 respectively.

It means that Surrey will now miss out on hosting an England Test for the first summer since the second World War, having staged an unofficial Test against a Rest of the World XI in 1970 when that year's tour by South Africa was cancelled for political reasons.

Surrey informed their ticket-holders of the news last Monday and offered them the opportunity to either claim a full refund or move their tickets to the India visit in 2021, retaining the same seats for the same day of play. The first four days of the series had been sold out, and currently, only 15 per cent have fans have opted for their money back.

Charlie Hodgson, Managing Director of The Oval, said: "The interest in next year's India Test Match is a real testament to the passion and loyalty of cricket fans in this country.  Their clear desire to attend next year's Test represents a massive vote of confidence in English cricket and The Oval and our continued ability to host sold out Test matches that provide a full day of world class sport in a unique and special environment”.

Ticketholders have until the end of the month to request their refund, which they can activate by filling in a form on the Club's website. There will be a second opportunity for refunds when the dates of next year's match, which will revert to The Oval's traditional end-of-summer slot, are confirmed by the EWCB.