CAPE TOWN – There is still time to get your ticket for the showdown between the Proteas and India at Newlands today, according to Western Province Cricket Association chief executive Nabeal Dien.
The first Test of the much-anticipated series gets under way at 10.30am on Friday morning.
“Day one (Friday) is especially close to capacity, with only scatterings of seats still left... you will struggle to get four together, for instance, but there are tickets available,” Dien told Independent Media.
The New Year’s Test is traditionally one of the hottest social events on the Cape Town festive calendar.
It normally starts on January 2 or 3, but this year it has been pushed back to January 5 due to India arriving later.
Dien has therefore made some of the corporate suites available to the public.
“There are 10 to 12 unsold suites at Newlands at this stage; we are hoping to possibly be able to offer those for the Test at a premium rate, especially if public seating (is unavailable),” he said.
With Cape Town undergoing its worst drought in close to 100 years, Dien has appealed to all patrons attending the Test to observe the city’s water regulations at the ground.
“We urge spectators to be vigilant over water during the game; don’t leave taps unnecessarily open in the toilets,” he said.
“There will be notices around, and we have even arranged for a few students to be ‘water police’ ensuring no excessive wastage of the resource.”
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