MELBOURNE: Melbourne was on Friday named as the host of Australian opening ceremony for the 2015 ICC World Cup.

Two opening ceremonies for cricket’s marquee event will be held on Feb 12, with co-hosts New Zealand to stage their opener on the same evening in Christchurch.

The Melbourne celebration at Sidney Myer Music Bowl will involve World Cup players and legends, cultural and music performances, a spectacular fireworks display and a yet-to-be-revealed “special moment”.

Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events John Eren said Melbourne would now be the scene of the opening event, the first match on Australian soil when Australia play England on Feb 14, and the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 29.

“We are delighted that Melburnians and visitors from all over the world will have a chance to attend this once-in-a-generation event at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl,” said Eren.

John Harnden, 2015 World Cup chief executive, said the event would get the tournament off to a “great start”.

The opening ceremony will be free to attend and tickets will be available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

Each applicant can request up to four tickets and further details of the ceremony will be revealed closer to the event.

Christchurch’s opening event will feature some of New Zealand’s best known performers, cricket legends including Richard Hadlee and Stephen Fleming and a special segment to recognise the rebuilding of the city following the disastrous earthquakes.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2014