Cricket a bad fit for the Olympic stadium
It is just under a thousand days until London's Olympic 80,000-seat stadium becomes filled for purpose, but what of the many thousands after that
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
It is just under a thousand days until London's Olympic 80,000-seat stadium becomes filled for purpose, but what of the many thousands after that? So far, there has been talk of rugby, football and cricket teams using the venue, though in cricket's case any future relationship should be given short shrift, writes Derek Pringle in the Telegraph.
The trouble is, to cheapen maintenance costs, the Stratford stadium will be reduced to 25,000 seats once the Olympics is over. That would put its capacity behind Lord's and only marginally in front of the Oval's. Unless 50,000 spectators can be accommodated, the only reason for international cricket to be played elsewhere in the capital would be for the novelty. If you want that, far better to build a stadium with a roof to make the game weatherproof.
George Binoy is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo