Cricket fever reaches new heights in Welsh capital
Staff at Cardiff’s tallest building couldn’t believe their eyes last week when they witnessed what appeared to be a cricket match taking place on the roof of the Millennium Stadium.
John Paull who works on the fifteenth floor of BT’s Stadium House said, “I was walking back to my desk when I saw a cricket team on the roof of the Millennium Stadium in the throws of celebration after apparently taking a wicket. At first, I couldn’t believe my eyes – it’s not everyday you see something like that happening at the home of Welsh rugby and certainly not on the roof. Whatever it was, it was certainly a spectacle.”
It transpires that the match was staged by the city’s hoteliers, the Millennium Stadium and Cardiff & Co to celebrate the arrival of the Ashes in Cardiff which has captured the imagination of the city’s reside
nts.
Richard Thomas, the Managing Director of Cardiff & Co, the organisation charged with promoting the city said, “Cricket fever has taken hold in the city and this is something that we felt was worth shouting about - from the rooftops – literally – hence the decision by a few brave souls to take to the roof of the Millennium Stadium to practice their batting strokes and bowling skills. For many aspiring, but ultimately failed cricketers, the rooftop match represented the height of their playing careers. To say that some treated the game as if it were a Test match would be an understatement, with a few requiring extra encouragement to come down off the roof and return to their ‘day jobs’. With the Millennium Stadium overlooking the home of Glamorgan Cricket and the venue for the first Ashes Test, they can be forgiven for dreaming.”
He added, “Cardiff is used to staging major events such as FA Cup finals, the Rugby World Cup and concerts involving acts such as Madonna, U2 and Take That. When the finals of the FA Cup moved temporarily from Wembley to the Millennium Stadium there were detractors but when the finals returned London, fans missed the unique atmosphere of Cardiff’s compact city-centre and wonderful Millennium Stadium - the largest city-centre stadium in the world.”
Commenting further, Richard Thomas said, “The Ashes Test is a first for Cardiff and has certainly captured the public’s imagination, with a real buzz in the city as the first Test match approaches. Hopefully the event will inspire a new generation of cricket fans and players in the city’s schools. As the UK’s European City of Sport, we aren’t entirely surprised by the public’s reaction but are certainly pleased by the level of interest and support that the Ashes have generated. Clearly this event will provide a big boost for the economy and hopefully leave a lasting legacy in the Welsh capital. Most importantly, visitors to the city can be sure of a warm welcome or ‘croeso cynnes’ as we say in Welsh and an experience to remember.”
See what The Sun, had to say about Cardiff Cricket fever here.
08/07/2009
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