• Only half of the pavilion tickets sold for Friday’s group stage game
  • Empty seats ‘risk damaging the club’s global reputation’
    • The empty pavilion seats during the Women’s World Cup final between England and India at Lord’s. Photograph: IDI/IDI via Getty Images

    MCC members have received a panicked email imploring them to buy tickets for Bangladesh versus Pakistan at Lord’s or risk damaging the club’s global reputation.


    Only 50% of available pavilion tickets have been sold for Friday’s World Cup group stage match and the MCC committee has now relaxed its age restrictions to invite 250 school children into the famous old building.

    But after images of empty pavilion benches were beamed across the globe during England’s famous victory over India in the 2017 Women’s World Cup final – prompting widespread online criticism – Guy Lavender, the MCC chief executive, has moved further to avoid a repeat.

    Writing to members on Tuesday, Lavender said: “The latest tournament standings mean the outcome of [Bangladesh versus Pakistan] could prove crucial to England’s prospects of reaching the semi-finals. From this perspective, Friday’s match may yet prove to be one of the most decisive of the tournament. Unfortunately, and notwithstanding the context of the match, the Pavilion remains heavily undersubscribed.
    “Members may recall the ICC Women’s World Cup final in 2017, when unfavourable comparisons were made between the number of members in the Pavilion and full stands in the rest of the ground. This is damaging to MCC’s global reputation and the committee is determined to avoid a repetition of these images on Friday.”

    This summer’s World Cup is the first global tournament where MCC members have to pay for tickets in the pavilion, with this Friday’s game priced at £45. The three previous group games at Lord’s have been well attended by members, while the final on 14 July is already a sell-out.

    Lord’s is also due to host one of the eight teams in The Hundred, English cricket’s new city-based tournament that starts next summer and which is hoped will attract a family audience from all backgrounds.
    On the presence of schoolchildren in the pavilion this Friday, Lavender added: “It is hoped [this] will both improve the appearance of the pavilion and provide the youngsters with a memorable and formative experience.”
    Ref: The Guardian