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World Cup ticket sales defied what organisers called the ``doom and gloom merchants'' to finish well above the projected figure, with an extra £1 million likely to accrue for the England and Wales Cricket Board when the accounts are finalised later this summer.

Michael Browning, the World Cup event manager, said average crowds represented more than 95 per cent of total ground capacity. There had been fears ticket prices, ranging from £16 for early games to £100 for the final, would deter spectators.

No firm figures will be available until August at the earliest, but Browning said £17 million is likely to be distributed internationally, and the ECB could benefit by £13 million.

Browning said: ``Ticketing was more successful than we anticipated. There were a lot of gloom and doom merchants in the early days, but I wasn't one of them. I always said we'd have full grounds everywhere but you still have to be responsible in your budgeting.''

The policy of not making late tickets specifically available to Australia and Pakistan supporters contributed to a muted final but Browning said: ``Why give precedence to someone who would like to buy their tickets at the last minute at the expense of someone who was prepared to put money up a year in advance because they wanted to go to the final?

``I think if the match had been closer there would have been more atmosphere.''