BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

STEPHEN PRICE, Cricket World Cup's commercial manager, has defended ticket prices for the event following slow sales for some group stage matches.

While ticket sales for high-profile matches involving traditional cricketing nations were steady, games involving International Cricket Council (ICC) associate teams have been selling slowly in the final phase of ticketing, which started last Thursday.

"I think we positioned those matches at the right price. It was a very long period that we took to come to these final cricket prices for the event," said Price.

Associate countries

The five ICC associate countries involved in the Cricket World Cup are Bermuda, Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Canada, and matches involving these teams have been spread throughout the four preliminary groups. Scotland and the Netherlands do battle in Group A in St. Kitts; Bermuda compete in Group B in Trinidad and Tobago; Canada will campaign in Group C in St. Lucia, while Ireland have been zoned in Group D in Jamaica.

Price explained that organisers had collaborated closely with the LOCs in determining the best prices for the respective markets.

"What we have also done is that we have worked with a lot of local organising committees in ensuring that we have proper price lists that can support a particular market," Price pointed out

He said that the reason behind the slow pace of ticket sales for group matches was the fact that associate teams did not occupy the attention of many cricket fans.