Problems on day one of World Cup ticket sales

Of the total 222 000 tickets available to the general public for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, about 90 000 were sold on the first day of ticketing today (Monday).

Booking will continue tomorrow (Tuesday 16 July) from 09h00 at the 12 venues hosting ICC CWC matches, on the ticketing callcentre on 083 123 2003 and via the website on www.cricketworldcup.com.

Because of the first day pressure by thousands of would-be purchasers worldwide, the website was taken down during the course of Monday afternoon, but will be relaunched on Tuesday morning at 09h00. Twenty per cent of tickets are available on the website.

Tickets for the Wanderers stadium, which will host the ICC Cricket World Cup final on March 23, were in greatest demand. By this afternoon the Wanderers was the first stadium whose 60% allocations was sold out to local fans who queued outside the 12 venues hosting CWC matches in South Africa. Kingsmead in Durban was also sold out later in the day.

Hundreds of cricket fans were left disappointed when the "sold out" signs went up. But in order to still accommodate as many of these people as possible, the ICC Cricket World Cup organizing committee has taken their contact details with the assurance that, should any tickets come back into the system, every endeavour will be made to assist these people with a Wanderers stadium package.

Dr Ali Bacher, executive director, appologised to those South Africans fans - particularly those who queued at the Wanderers - for struggling in vain to obtain tickets for that stadium. He explained that around the country, fans at other venues were also able to buy Wanderers packages.

"We have always said that we want people from around the country to get a chance to attend the ICC Cricket World Cup final should they so desire."

Cricket fans may still visit the Wanderers stadium ticket offices tomorrow if they wish to book stadium packages for any other venue or Follow the Team packages.

The CWC organising committee also acknowledged problems with the Call Centre and the website and appologised to those many members of the public who were unable to access these two buying channels.

By late yesterday afternoon, some 7 400 tickets had been sold through the Call Centre.