A tense situation developed outside the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium this afternoon when ticket-less fans agitated to be allowed in, despite the stadium being filled to capacity.
Sources at the Dambulla stadium said some 5,000 fans had obstructed the entrance to the stadium by lying on the ground and had to be removed by Police who used water cannons.
Sri Lanka Cricket announced yesterday that tickets for the 4th ODI between Australia and Sri Lanka were completely sold out. ‘Fans are requested not crowed the gates as there are NO Tickets available,’ the Twitter account maintained by the SLC announced.
It also announced that no tickets would be sold at the venue of the match:
‘In careful consideration of security and spectator facilities, Sri Lanka Cricket has announced that No tickets will be sold at the VENUE ON THE DAY OF THE MATCH.’
Despite these announcements, spectators have crowded the gates demanding they be let in.
They allege that large areas of the stadium are empty and can accommodate them.
The ‘empty seats’, however, have already been purchased, sources close to the SLC told Daily News.
It is speculated that the afternoon sun may have been a deterrent to those spectators that bought seats but are yet to claim them. It is expected these seats will be occupied during the second session of the game, when the sun is gone down and the heat much less.
Sujeeva Godaliadda, Executive Committee member of Sri Lanka Cricket told Daily News that the SLC was making every effort to accommodate the spectators despite there being no seating available.
“We made a board decision to allow the fans in and accommodate them where we can”, he said. “We've asked them to make four lines and we're letting them in.”
Seats are priced at Rs. 300 and above. The standing areas of the stadium – priced at Rs. 100 a head are filled to capacity.
The protesters outside the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium are asking they be allowed to purchase Rs. 100 tickets and be seated in the areas reserved for people who have purchased tickets at Rs. 300 and above.
by=dailynews
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