England's football fans switch their allegiance

Graeme Swann recently suggested that the England cricket team, rather than the footballers, are the “golden generation”, and it appears that English sports fans agree with him.

Since England crashed out of the football World Cup in South Africa, viagogo, Europe’s largest online ticket marketplace, has seen demand surge for cricket tickets, with the website recording a 200% increase in online searches for tickets ahead of the fifth and final game against Australia at Lord’s on Saturday. Tickets for the match are currently trading for as much as £200 on the site.

The figures imply that disappointed football supporters are switching allegiance to the more successful cricket team, who have enjoyed a successful 12 months of cricket – including triumphs in the Ashes and World Twenty20 – and are currently leading their series against Australia 3-1.

“Since the England football team has returned home early from the World Cup, Brits are desperate to see England reclaim its sporting prowess,” said Ed Parkinson, director of viagogo UK.