Spruced up MCG gears up for 2015 WC

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 07 November 2014 | 21.24

MELBOURNE: The third largest sporting extravaganza on the planet after the Fifa World Cup and Summer Olympics - ICC Cricket World Cup - is less than 100 days away and the organisers are leaving no stone unturned to make it memorable like previous editions. They have roped in legendary World Cup-winning captains Allan Border (1987), Steve Waugh (1999) and Ricky Ponting (2003 & 2007) besides current Australian skipper Michael Clarke to promote the February 14 to March 29 event Down Under.

The 14 venues across Australia and New Zealand have been spruced up and tickets have been modestly priced to encourage people to throng the stadiums. Australia's sporting capital Melbourne, which is scheduled to stage the opening match between England and Australia as well as the final, has not only re-laid the outfield at the MCG, but has also lined up a wide range of activities to attract tourists and fans from around the world.

"Hundred days is the launchpad of any event. It's the launch of television advertising. We will be launching the trophy tour in Australia and New Zealand with Australian batting greats Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting travelling to different venues. In Australia we will take it on a double decker bus to host cities Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney as well as regional centres like Geraldton, Broken Hill, Port Augusta and Launceston," said John Harnden, the 2015 Cricket World Cup CEO.

"There are 14 teams playing in the World Cup and as part of the organising committee we cannot just focus on Australia. So, we have been trying to help 12 of the other teams mobilise people in their respective countries to come to World Cup. But more importantly here in Australia and New Zealand we have been trying to engage the large Indian community. We staged Diwali celebrations and gave thousands of Indians an opportunity to get themselves photographed with the trophy. We have also had talks with Australia-India business council," Harnden explained.

The reasonable pricing of tickets saw the India-Pakistan match on February 15 at Adelaide sold out within 20 minutes and even the South Africa-India match at the MCG has got better response than the tournament opener.

"We have kept ticket prices as low as AUD20 (INR 1100 approx) for adults and AUD5 (INR 270) for kids for pool matches. And two-thirds of the tickets across the tournament is AUD50 (INR 2650) or less. We want an electric atmosphere just like the India-Pakistan match," Harnden said. With the season-opening Grand Slam - Australian Open (Jan 19 to Feb 1) - and Formula One Grand Prix (March 12 to 15) happening around the 50-over Championship at Melbourne, the Victorian city will have more things to offer sports aficionados than any part of the world.

"You might also be a tennis fan or any other sport fan and so tournaments in the buildup or during the World Cup will only help. They can go for the Australian Open tennis and say now what's next - World Cup - and then the Melbourne GP.

"Tourism Victoria will be conducting food and wine festival (February 27 to March 15) around the event and it will only add to the experience. MCC have relaid the outfield at the MCG. It's now like a billiards table (laughs)," Harnden said.

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