September 2, 2003	Tuesday	Rajab 4, 1424

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

MULTAN, Sept 1: The picturesque ground of two-and-half-year old Multan Cricket Stadium is all set to host the third and final Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh from Wednesday (Sept 3).

The previous two Test matches of the series have been won convincingly by the home team, leaving a little interest about the fate of the series.

But despite the fact that the fate of the Test series has been sealed and Bangladesh is least expected to do turn the tables in third encounter, the organisers are hoping a sizable turnout of the game lovers for the five-day fixture being played in an area where such activities seldom take place.

The Sept 3 match will be the third Test being played on the soil of Multan since it was given Test status in 1980. The first Test played in Multan was between Pakistan and West Indies on Dec 30, 1980, at the now abandoned Qasim Bagh Stadium.

The second Test was against Bangladesh on Aug, 2001, at this very ground, which was a part of the Asian Test Championship.

Secretary of the organising committee for the coming fixture, Prof Javed Malik said the average daily attendance of the previous match played at the MCS between Pakistan and Bangladesh was around 15,000 spectators.

He hoped that the game lovers from length and breadth of south Punjab would turn up to see star players of the national team in action.

Tickets for general enclosure will be available for Rs15 only for a day’s play while tickets for the whole match for the same enclosure will cost Rs50 per person.

Ladies and students will be charged Rs10 only for a day’s play. While the ticket for a place in other enclosures for a day and the whole match is as: first class Rs50 and Rs150; VIP Rs100 and Rs300; and VVIP Rs200 and Rs600.

The two teams arrived on and had nets at the stadium and will come to repeat excercise on Tuesday at 10am for two-hour practice and skippers of both the teams will address press conference the same day at about 12.30 noon.

Regional curator of Pakistan cricket board in Multan zone, Basheer Kardar told Dawn that he had prepared a supporting wicket for the match to give equal chance to perform to all the departments of the game. He said the wicket would support seamers on the first day provided the present layer of gross remained intact on the turf.

He said neither coach nor captain of the home team had so far contacted him to inquire about the character of the pitch. He however was skeptical that the wicket would be remained grassy till the toss for the match owing to departure of Shoaib Akhtar to resume his county cricket in England leaving behind a moderate pace attack especially in the absence of Muhammad Sami who could not play any match of the series due to fitness problems.