IND vs ENG LIVE: Fans FURIOUS with ECB after board revises India vs England timings to suit Asian broadcasters, says “More notice would have been ideal”

IND vs ENG LIVE: In a very short notice to fans, the England Cricket Board (ECB) preponed the match timings for the IND vs ENG 5th Test at Edgbaston. With a view to attracting viewership, the games will now start 30 minutes earlier. Fans who have purchased tickets have now urged the ECB to reconsider the decision, slamming them for such a knee-jerk move. Follow India tour of England live updates on Insidesport.IN

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IND vs ENG LIVE: Fans FURIOUS with ECB after board revises India vs England timings to suit Asian broadcasters, says “More notice would have been ideal”

England fans have urged the ECB to reconsider their decision to change match timings for the IND vs ENG Edgbaston test starting on Friday. The England cricket board over the weekend announced that games would begin a half an hour early to suit the Asian broadcast market. The match will begin at 10:30 AM local time and 3:00 PM IST in India.

The information comes very late for the fans, who have already booked tickets for travel. Some of the supporters could miss the start of the play and have sought ECB to help. Becky Fairlie-Clarke, chief executive of the Cricket Supporters’ Association, told The Telegraph, that while fans understand the rationale, they wouldn’t want to miss a part of the game.

IND vs ENG LIVE: Fans FURIOUS with ECB after board revises India vs England timings to suit Asian broadcasters, says “More notice would have been ideal”

She said, “The rationale behind the start being brought forward seems reasonable but we can’t help but feel the impact on fans attending the match hasn’t been fully considered. We know that trains are booked and plans are made well in advance and so this change is inconvenient for some supporters coming to the ground. We’d urge the ECB to always consider those who have paid to be there and obviously want to see a full days play.”

IND vs ENG LIVE: Fans FURIOUS with ECB after board revises India vs England timings to suit Asian broadcasters, says “More notice would have been ideal”

A spokesperson from England’s famed Barmy Army also raised his concern. He added, “More notice would have been ideal but at least we have not learned on the morning of the match like we did for the abandoned Test last year.”

The IND vs ENG 5th Test is the only Test of India’s tour this year. The match was originally scheduled to be played in Manchester last year but was postponed due to COVID-19. Incidentally, the virus has struck again, with Indian captain Rohit Sharma likely ruled out.

The revised timings would see the match begin at 3 PM in India and would end at 10 PM. The game will be telecasted on the Sony Sports Network. The live stream will be available on Sony LIV.

IND vs ENG LIVE: Fans FURIOUS with ECB after board revises India vs England timings to suit Asian broadcasters, says “More notice would have been ideal”