Cricinfo asked readers to tell us about their first day in the Australian Cricket Family
Cricinfo staff01-Jun-2006
James Sutherland: not the most popular member of the Cricket Australia ‘Family’ © Getty Images
I have been trying now for 13 hours to get tickets and when I did finally get through to Ticketmaster on the phone (I still haven’t managed to get through on-line) I have been told that my request cannot be dealt with by the automated service. What an inept performance from all involved. I can only hope the Australian team members didn’t rely on CA to organise their tickets … still they can always buy them on eBay, plenty for sale there now. Neil LucasThanks heaps CA. I hope your new family members are very patient and forgiving. I’m leaving home. Chris FinnWe won’t forget it so easily the next time the touring team isn’t so popular with the masses! Shame Cricket Australia and James Sutherland, Shame. Paul GrzadkaI waited for three hours clicking the continue button for first-day tickets in Adelaide only to eventually get a message saying none were available. I know I was there waiting longer than some of the others that got tickets and we should have been put in a queue or something. For me to miss out is simply not fair. Chris MccullochI am a fan based in Perth who has been dialling and refreshing the Ticketmaster website since 9am Perth time. The joke of this is that I did actually get through at 9.16am to the phone line, where I waited on hold for half an hour on a mobile phone. Just as I heard an operator pick up the line there was a cry of “oh no” as she disconnected me. This is fairly symptomatic of the level of service that is available when purchasing tickets for anything. Robbie Williams goes on sale to select members tomorrow – I don’t think I can stand another day like today. Very, very angry. Damon GreenwoodAt 9am I was all set with the internet site ready on my screen and the phone nearby. Gradually as the day progressed and my frustration increased, the levels of available seats diminished until the system indicated no seats were available. About this time I finally was successful through the telephone and then waited for 20 minutes until someone answered my call only to receive confirmation that no tickets were left for either Friday or Saturday. I became part of the Australian Cricket Family but feel like a stepchild. I was in England last year when Australia lost the Ashes so I need to witness revenge.Chris FlahertyLogged on the internet at 8:59am. Gave up at 9:05am. Rang Ticketmaster at 9:06am. Kept dialling for 40 minutes. Got through at 9:45am. On hold for 45 minutes. Finally spoke to an operator who was very helpful and pleasant. At the end of it all, I bought tickets to day two and three for the Gabba Test and both ODIs. All a bit frustrating but a good result in the end. Richard ValentiStarting at 8.30am (CST) on the button, it took till after midday to get the phone to ring at Ticketmaster. An hour later it was finally answered by a living person. She, whose name I do not know, is simply a goddess. Having explained what my ticket requirements were for the Melbourne Test, she patiently delved into the computer system to provide me with the best available tickets on each day, to the point where by day four I will be sitting in the front row of the first tier of the Southern Stand looking down the wicket. Okay, on Boxing Day I will be in a seat that is not of my choice, but is that so important? My Australian-born 19-year-old son, who will be home from the UK for only his second visit in 17 years, will be sitting beside me, enjoying his first test match in Oz at the same ground I enjoyed my first Test match with my dad in 1961. That’s important!!Allan TalbotI spent hours trying to get some tickets and although I am going to Melbourne for Boxing Day, it looks like I missed out on Sydney. Due to some connections Brisbane is also on for us. The thing that bothers me is that Johnny-come-lately’s got the same opportunity as the diehards. I go to the Gabba Test every year: I was there last year for three days in a quarter filled stadium; I fork out my dollars every year and will continue to do so; I umpire in the local league on the Sunshine Coast; and I forked out big dollars to fly to Sydney for the SuperTest last year. Yet I was treated no different to those jumping on the band wagon. If you don’t look after the people that come every year you will suffer down the track. It’s really not good enough! Craig WoodsI was trusted with purchasing tickets to the first day at the Gabba and my friends were getting quite worried when I was still sitting on the computer at home after midday without the tickets. At 2pm after five hours of frustration I have purchased all my tickets. My computer is quite lucky to be alive. I had many a moment of intense anger where I considered hurling the poor thing out the window and into the pool. No matter, all’s well that ends well and I’m off to the first day at the Gabba and I couldn’t be happier.Sean PhillipsMy best assessment would be what a joke! I signed up for “priority” ticketing and have nothing. The whole Australian Cricket Family exercise has been useless. Why didn’t Cricket Australia at least stagger the sale of tickets to the various games? For example, first Test on June 1, second Test on June 2, as they must have known the extent of demand. As it stands I’m in Brisbane trying to get on to Ticketmaster and fighting a losing battle with fans in Melbourne, Hobart and probably all of England.Grant HutchinsonI have been calling since 9am and still no luck. I tried the internet too, but no luck. If this is how they treat family… Got to get back to the phone, but my finger is getting sore.Jonathon GordonI have just finished a five-hour marathon at the computer. Washing got ignored, kids had to use public transport to get where they needed to be, and the dog whined and carried on that he hadn’t had a walk this morning. Finally, in despair, I took the dog for a walk and on my return I managed to score tickets without any delays to both the Test and one-day match at the WACA. Maybe that was the message the dog was trying to get across in the first place.Heather HamblinI am very disappointed that at no stage today have I been able to book tickets or even have a phone ringing for the Test at the Gabba. It was no surprise to anyone that there would be great demand for the tickets – they should have prepared accordingly. I have 12 fair dinkum Aussies who have all paid me their money to go to the Gabba on days three and four. Two of us have registered with ACF to ensure we could book the tickets. We have lived up to our end of the bargain by registering early and we have had nothing but engaged signals. Simon King