Edgbaston set for bumper crowds as it stages inaugural day/night Test Match

Strong public interest in English cricket’s first day/night Test Match has had a welcome impact on ticket sales at Edgbaston Stadium.

The ground hosts the first five-day floodlit encounter between England and the West Indies today and Warwickshire County Cricket Club has announced that tomorrow (day two) of the game is already a sell-out – even with additional seating capacity.

Nearly 70,000 tickets have been sold for the first four days of play, making it the top selling Investec Test Match to be played outside of London in 2017.

Anticipating the strong response, Edgbaston made provision for the larger crowds by arranging for a temporary stand to be in place for the game – a lesson it learned from previous Test Matches as well as this season’s ICC Champions Trophy tournament.

The stand, provided by Arena Seating, has boosted capacity by 850 seats.

Gareth Roberts, commercial director of Warwickshire CCC, said: “Friday has proven to be the best-selling day of Investec Test Matches at Edgbaston for several years.

“As well as being England’s inaugural day/night Test Match, it will also be the 50th men’s Test to be played at Edgbaston.

“We’re very proud of the stadium’s rich history of hosting so many great moments in English cricket history, and we hope that Joe Root and the England team can build on their fantastic record of wins here in Birmingham.”

Edgbaston hosted its first Test in 1902 and England has gone on to win 26 of the 49 matches played at the Birmingham venue, with 15 draws and just eight defeats. In the last 10 Test Matches at Edgbaston, England has won seven and lost just one, and Joe Root’s team come into the day/night game following successive victories over Australia in 2015 and Pakistan in 2016.