India vs England: Online tickets sale starts from Friday for fourth Test at Wankhede in Mumbai

Mumbai: The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) will start from Friday its online sale of tickets for tickets to the fourth Test between England and India, to be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from 8 December.

The sale of tickets to its member-clubs has not evoked an encouraging response, according to MCA sources, who said the association has asked its affiliates to buy tickets through cheque payment. The demonetisation drive of the central government seems to have affected ticket sales too, they said.

As many as 500 school children will be admitted free of charge into the Vijay Merchant stand on the west side of the stadium in South Mumbai. “We will be selling tickets in phases,” the sources said.

Meanwhile, MCA managing committee, headed by president Sharad Pawar, is to meet on 27 November to discuss preparations for the Test as well as the letter received from the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Lodha Committee. The letter has stated that the resolution adopted by the MCA at its 7 November SGM to “unanimously” approach the SC to reconsider its order of “one state, one vote”, based on the Lodha panel’s recommendations, amounted to contempt of the court judgement on the matter.

“It’s hereby resolved that the recommentation of the Justice Lodha Committee on ‘one state, one vote’ is unfair to the MCA and affect its existence, in spite of its outstanding contribution to the game of cricket,” the general body’s resolution adopted at its SGM stated.

“It is further resolved that BCCI should protect the interest of the MCA and take up the matter with the Justice Lodha Committee, and if required, with the Supreme Court for reconsideration,” the resolution further stated.

In its reply, the Lodha panel said the MCA had approached the Supreme Court to intervene on the matter based on the same arguments after which the apex court had given the order. “The resolution at the SGM amounts to contempt of judgement of the Supreme Court,” the Lodha panel has said.