WACA a first-day sell-out

SYDNEY - Australia may have strolled through the first two Tests of the Ashes series, but demand for tickets remains higher than ever with the WACA Ground set to break attendance records during the third Test.

The Perth stadium has undergone a $12 million facelift and officials this evening confirmed Friday's first day to be a complete sell-out of 21,500.

Perth's biggest previous first day crowd was 16,849 recorded on December 1, 2000 when Australia played the West Indies.

Western Australia Cricket Association president Brian Rakich said: "The WACA is absolutely delighted with the manner in which the public has embraced this Test and the occasion of launching our redeveloped ground."

Perth's highest aggregate Test attendance is 84,142 for the game against England in December 1970.

For the WACA to break that record, this match could have to last into its fifth day - something England has not managed thus far.