Any cricket fans around?

[EmmaMY]

Hi,

I was thinking about getting my husband tickets to the ashes for Xmas!
so I’m wondering, which ones do I get? Where and which day!? We live close to London so preferably one around here. My husband is Australian and grew up with cricket, I grew up in Europe and don’t know much of the sport so please help me out!

thank you!

The second Ashes Test match is at Lord's (St Johns Wood in north-west London) from 28 June to 2 July 2023.

The fifth and final match of the series is at the Oval (south London) from 27 to 31 July 2023.

It's hard to know which one to pick. It might depend on whether it's easier for your husband to travel to NW London or to S London.

If you pick the Lord's Test, that would obviously be early in the series when there will still be everything for both sides to play for.

If you pick the Oval Test, it might be EITHER that by then each side has won 2 games, so this is the exciting decider Test between them - OR it might mean that one side has won everything so far, so that this final fixture is a dead rubber which no one really cares about.

If I were you (assuming your DH can easily travel to the ground), I'd go for the second Test - the one at Lord's, when everything in the series is still to play for.

Either way, I would book tickets for one of the first three days to be (reasonably) sure of seeing a full day's play. Test matches are supposed to last five days, but I think in recent years many of them have ended partway through the fourth day.

Other posters may well have better ideas than me!

Wish you well, OP

Absolutely Lords day one or three.

Thank you so much both of you, very informative for this non cricketer! Will look at lords tickets!

Am I right in thinking that one team will potentially bat the whole day on day 1 until all are out? If so, do you know who goes first or is that decided on the day? 🏏

There is usually a ballot for Ashes tickets as they are very popular.

You won't know who is batting/fielding first until the day.

The team captains toss a coin before the start of play on the first day to decide which team bats first and which bowls first. The team which bats first then bats for as long as they can to score as many runs as possible. I agree with the advice to book for one of the first three days. Test matches in England are often over by the fourth afternoon.

If I could choose between Lord’s and the Oval, I would always choose Lord’s. It is a beautiful ground with a special atmosphere, similar to Wimbledon in many ways.

I was in the ballot for ashes tickets at lords - didn’t get them, apparently they were 300% over subscribed.

I agree with @IntentionalError - Lord's is the home of cricket, but it could be VERY difficult to get tickets. Definitely go for days 1,2 or 3 as those tend to be the most crucial.

I'm a complete cricket addict, but have so far failed to convert my DC to the most perfect game in the world. It's just not like any other sport! You might want to try listening to Test Match Special to get a bit more of an idea of just how odd it can be at times. The thing about cricket is that it's a team game played by individuals, and that REALLY shows in the commentary. In the current England v Pakistan match the commentators have become obsessed with red kites during quieter moments.

The ballots for Lord and the Oval are closed I am afraid. I am hoping to hear if I’ve got Oval tickets next week.

You would have already needed to enter the ballot for Ashes tickets at both venues.

Sadly I think you'll struggle to get standard Ashes tickets now as the ballots have closed. There are tickets available at Lords for the Ashes with hospitality but they are £££££££££.

What everyone else said about the ballot. I know lots of people (inc us) who entered for Edgbaston tickets and noone got any. I imagine the London venues are even more oversubscribed.

Usually they don't sell tix for day 5 in advance (because matches can finish early), but Edgbaston is (I think) sold out even for that.

You may be able to get tix for the women's ashes.

I love Lord's and have been many times and will be going for The Ashes. We went to an ODI against the West Indies at the Oval, that was special.

Yes, I sadly realised this when the other day… called them and they only had hospitality tickets at almost £2000 a ticket… I was hoping to get two, but not at that price… 🙈 Thank you for all your help. I will find something else! Have bought him a millennium falcon Lego for now! 😂🙈

I entered a ballot for tickets for the test at Headingley. And was offered tickets to the ODI against Ireland instead. I don't think you'd get any Ashes now.