Old Trafford won't show football clash
Old Trafford officials have ruled out screening England's World Cup tie against Germany at the ground on Sunday during the third one-day international between the hosts and Australia
Cricinfo staff
24-Jun-2010
Supporters watch an England match from the 2006 World Cup during a Twenty20 international at The Rose Bowl • Getty Images
Lancashire officials have ruled out screening England's World Cup tie against Germany at Old Trafford on Sunday during the third one-day international between the hosts and Australia.
England's last-16 tie in Bloemfontein kicks off at 3pm which is right in the middle of the ODI. The match in Manchester is a sell-out with 22,500 set to fill Old Trafford, but a large number are now likely to leave the stadium in order to find somewhere to watch the football.
Officials from Lancashire, England and Australia held a meeting to discuss options for showing the football at the ground, but crowd-safety factors have meant it won't be possible. There was precedence for showing the game; in 2002 England's second-round World Cup match against Denmark was broadcast on big screens around the ground during the third Test against Sri Lanka with Alec Stewart trying to catch glimpses of the action as he scored a century. Also, in 2006, a number of England's World Cup matches clashed with NatWest series games and were shown on big screens.
"Following detailed discussions between the club and relevant local authorities, it will not be possible for the England v Germany World Cup match to be screened in public areas at Old Trafford on Sunday due to safety reasons," a statement said.
"Every option has been explored, including the installation of large screens, but due to a number of crowd-safety factors, in particular because of the 22,500 sell-out crowd, it is simply not possible for the football to be shown.
"However, if any cricket spectators do wish to leave the stadium, hopefully in order to see England's footballers progress to the World Cup quarter-finals, their tickets will allow them to be scanned out and back in again at Old Trafford to watch England's cricketers in action against Australia in the NatWest one-day International."
With England finishing second in their group and therefore playing on Sunday afternoon a host of counties have adjusted the start times to their domestic Friends Provident t20 matches so that crowds have the chance to watch both games, while a number of venues are showing the football on big screens before or after their t20 game.