Sale of tickets for 3rd India-Windis ODI opens with a bang!

Chennai, Jan 18 (UNI) The turnstiles are clicking again at the M A Chidambaram stadium with cricket buffs queuing up in large numbers before the counters to assure themselves of a seat to watch the third One Day International cricket match between West Indies and India.

Even though the host Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) has hiked the rates of admission with the minimum being Rs 400 vis-a-vis Rs 200 hitherto, fans are buying them up, to make sure they don't miss the action. However, TNCA Secretary C R Vijayaraghavan took strong objection to the statement that the rates had been hiked.

''Don't call it hike,'' he shot back, talking to UNI, while Assistant Secretary Kasi Viswanathan clarified that the rates were only revised in keeping with the trend in other Associations staging international matches.

''In fact, the rates are reasonable compared to what a few other Associations like Delhi, charge,'' he pointed out.

However, the response to the match was understable, what with heavy monsoon rains in Chennai washing out an ODI between India and South Africa in the 2004 season and only the last two days of play being possible in a Test match against Sri Lanka in 2005.

Cricket fans here had witnessed a full match last in the 2002-03 season against West Indies - the traditional five-day Test.

The Rs 400 and Rs 1000 denominations were sold out on the first day today, according to Mr Vijayaraghavan. Sale of tickets in the other denomination was also brisk, he added.

The match being a day-nighter and falling in the weekend, a Saturday, a full house was already expected, and the response now proves indeed, it will be.

UNI