Nick Hockley, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cricket Australia (CA), believes the crowd on the first day of the Australia-Pakistan Test at Optus Stadium was on the right trajectory, despite it failing to live up to the pre-match predictions.
In all 16,259 spectators attended the proceedings in the stadium, which was short of the 25,000 and above expected by the various stakeholders. “You always want more but as I said, I think we’re on the right trajectory.”
“Looking out, magnificent weather, I think the way Australia had really taken the game on at pace (has been attractive) and I just encourage everyone here in Perth to come down later on today and we’re looking forward to a cracking weekend as well. So hopefully we just build on that number,” said Hockley on SEN Radio ahead of the start of day two’s play.
Last year, less than 11,000 spectators attended the Perth Test between Australia and West Indies at the end of November/start of December, with the total attendance being 42,517. Hockley stated that CA and others had put in their all to get crowds to watch Test cricket in Perth.
“I think it has been tough over here in the west, we couldn’t play international cricket here for a couple of years so we’ve really worked together with WA Cricket, with the tourism board, with all of our partners… I’m looking out over the NRMA Insurance hill recreating the WACA ground, we’ve thrown absolutely everything behind it.”
“To see yesterday over 16,000, which is the highest attendance for a day of Test cricket against Pakistan in Western Australian history, shows we’re on the right trajectory. We’ve obviously got a fantastic programme coming up with India here for five Tests next year into the return Ashes the following year,” added Hockley.
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