The Wicked Cricket Column

No, both him and Behrendorff need to be back in OZ for their domestic commitments, that I presume take precedence over their stint at Sussex

Hmmmmmm .... Peter Trego is leaving Somerset. He’s 38 but wants a season or two more in first team cricket. Just saying ....

ls,

But just imagine all those years of cricketing experience Trego can pass on to the Academy youngsters. 

Your promise will be gratefully accepted! Could you extend your promise to no more items on this thread when there is an existing thread for the subject you are posting about? This would avoid discussions being fragmented, and MBs missing part of the discussion on threads which they are following. Hope that's OK.  

Dear oh dear. The phones have been permanently engaged since they opened at 9.30am this morning as supporters attempt to buy
a QF ticket. The Club are now saying you should buy them online which is not easy, particularly if you are relying on Royal Mail to
send the ticket to you for Friday. And the fact that Vitality Blast pass owners have priority today, which makes the online purchasing
more complicated.

The Club have known since Monday that there would be a home QF. They even knew that the ticket office would open on Saturday.
At unusual times like this, surely, they can install a load more lines and employ more people who can take the calls. It doesn't 
make any sense. All that happens is you create an ill-feeling from supporters whose frustration mounts by every engaged tone
they receive.

At present, the only sensible way forward is to drive/walk to the ground and queue outside the Club shop. At least then, you can
take away the purchase in your hand. Not great for those who live a two hours or more drive away.

Disappointing.

Fb,

After further frustration I drove to the County ground. What normally takes 50 minutes ended up as a 65 minute journey due to heavy Saturday South Coast traffic. I spoke to the stewards on the Club gate who told me that 99% of the people passing by were complaining about their inability to get through on the phone. One had even driven down from the Sussex/Kent border. Another, in attempting to buy tickets online, had mistakenly bought 4 Championship ones instead, and on realising this error, had to drive over to resolve this misfortune.

Meanwhile, walking in to the reception area there were just the usual two Ladies at the desk. Only a few people were lined up to be served and I secured my Vitality Blast seat for the QF easily and quickly. The phones were ringing furiously, but no-one seemed to be answering them, although I was told there were up to six other members of staff in another building answering such calls.

I then realised part of the problem when one of the reception Ladies finally found time to answer a call. Many who did manage to get through were not aware of the Vitality Blast Pass holders 5 hour open window today between 9.30am and 2.30pm. Could they please phone back after 3.30pm, yep, not 2.30pm. Imagine their frustration after having tried to get through all morning. Certainly, not enough publicity had been given for this and why such callers were clogging up the phone system stopping actual pass holders.

All in all, the ticket allocation system today has been a fiasco. While the overworked reception staff were doing their very best and had been working non-stop all day, many of the morning calls had been a waste of time. I have no idea who was responsible for the Club ticketing today, but given there had been 3 full days to work out a sensible system, the individual concerned deserves a 'Fergie Hairdryer' for the upset caused to supporters. One hopes this afternoon has run more smoothly.

For the Vitality Blast pass holders, what was supposed to be a preferential morning for them, turned out to be nothing of the sort.