Fourth Test defeat a costly one for England

The Ashes 2009 has brought out an interesting note for all those centres which host the Tests. England’s humiliating loss to Australia at Headingley might cost the local economy to the tune of  ($3.3 million), experts quoted by
the Yorkshire Post newspaper have said. A full Test match would have generated about $13.3 million for the economy of Leeds. But these projections had been downgraded to six million pounds ($10 million) after Australia won by an innings and 80 runs inside three days here on Sunday to level the five-match Ashes series at 1-1 ahead of the final Test at the Oval, in south London, which starts on August 20.
With fans checking out early out of local hotels and the 18,000 viewer base which had bought tickets for Monday’s scheduled fourth day set to be refunded, Gary Verity, chief executive of tourism organisation Welcome to Yorkshire, said, “It is disappointing the full five days won’t be played out. Of course, it will affect the estimated total aimed at boosting Leeds’ economy,” he added.
But Deborah Green, chief executive of Marketing Leeds, told The Times, “We won’t make as much as a region as would have done from the full five days but six million pounds could still be a conservative estimate. And we count ourselves lucky that we’ve at least had three good days when the sun has shone.” Less fortunate are those fans who had purchased tickets in advance for what should have been the fifth day’s play on Tuesday as their money will not be refunded. Fifth-day tickets were sold at the reduced price of $33 for adults and $8 for children.
Helen Longley, Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s ticket office manager, said, “The tickets were sold on a non-refundable basis at a reduced price and if it had gone on for the full five days, supporters would have got a bargain. As it stands though, it is just the way it has turned out.”

Who would have thought that England losing the fourth Test would have brought loss to the local economy much like the heartbreak to the English fans. But these are recession times, so they say!