Cricket World Cup 2015: 500,000 seats sold months from first match

AUSSIE sports fans have been urged to get their tickets soon to next year’s Cricket World Cup with more than 500,000 seats, three months before first ball is bowled.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - OCTOBER 26: Damien Fleming (R) and Andy Bichel (L) on Auckland Harbour Bridge, marking 100 days to go until the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 which takes place in New Zealand and Australia starting February 2015, on October 26, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

AUSSIE sports fans have been urged to get their tickets soon to next year’s Cricket World Cup or risk missing the action, with more than 500,000 seats already sold and less than 100 days till the first ball is bowled.

Full houses are expected at the MCG for several of Melbourne’s five matches, including Australia’s opening game against England on Valentine’s Day next year.

But with tourists from India and Pakistan snapping up more tickets than expected, World Cup chief John Harnden said Victorians wanting to attend should secure their seats soon.

“It’s absolutely ahead of target ... it has significantly surpassed our expectations of where we thought we would be,’’ he said.

“We thought we would have massive support but most importantly we’ve had the support for a whole range of games, not just the Australian games.’’

Melbourne’s matches include the Australia-England game and the MCG final.

Mr Harnden revealed more tickets had been sold for South Africa v India at the MCG on February 22 than for the cup final on March 29.

A match between India and Pakistan at Adelaide Oval on February 15 sold out in 20 minutes and a big crowd is expected at the MCG for a February 26 clash between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Mr Harnden said as many people had bought tickets online from India as the UK and sales were booming in the US, Pakistan, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.

“We’re very pleased but not complacent,’’ he said.

Mr Harden said a target of one million ticket sales across Australia and New Zealand and 1 billion “eyeballs’’ via TV and the internet had been set as a measure of success.

The World Cup will be staged from February 14 to March 29 across 14 cities in Australia and New Zealand.