Rose Bowl to host ICC Champions Trophy matches
The Rose Bowl will host five ICC Champions Trophy matches in September, giving the Hampshire cricket ground a total of six international fixtures in the 2004 season.
Richard Isaacs
09-Feb-2004
The Rose Bowl will host five ICC Champions Trophy matches in September, giving the Hampshire cricket ground a total of six international fixtures in the 2004 season.
See also: ICC Trophy at The Rose Bowl
The tournament, which kicks off at Edgbaston on September 10 when England host Zimbabwe will arrive at on the South Coast the next day when India meet Kenya.
This is followed by three other qualifying matches, including the plumb fixture of England against the former World Champions Sri Lanka on September 17 and then five days later on the September 22, they will host one of the semi-finals.
The five matches are: September 11 - India v Kenya September 13 - Australia v U.S.A. September 15 - West Indies v Bangladesh September 17 - England v Sri Lanka September 22 - Semi Final
Rose Bowl plc Chairman Rod Bransgrove was delighted. "This is fantastic news for the Rose Bowl and being awarded England's match against Sri Lanka followed by a semi-final really is the icing on the cake," he said.
"It means our magnificent ground is now recognised as a top venue on the world stage. We have come a long way in a short space of time since playing our first senior match on the ground less than three years ago and this honour truly reflects the enormous efforts of everyone that has been involved in its development."
The tournament final will take place on September 25 at The Oval.
It brings another round of international recognition to the Rose Bowl, with New Zealand doing battle with West Indies earlier in the year in the NatWest Series on Thursday July 8.
Tickets for the ICC Champions Trophy matches will go on general sale from April 1, but priority ticket applications to members will be on offer from March 17 from the Rose Bowl Ticket Office.
The telephone number is 0870 243 0291 or via e-mail at tickets@rosebowlplc.com.