PERTH'S new-look WACA Ground is on course to host record Test Match attendances against England on Friday.

Australia's World Champion Test side could retain the Ashes with a third successive win over England in Perth's Test. Even a draw would be sufficient to guarantee that Steve Waugh's team retain the coveted Urn for a record eighth successive series.

Perth's 30th Test could surpass all previous attendance records, including opening day crowds of the first two Ashes Tests staged at the ground on December 1970 and four years later.

A WACA first day record attendance could be more than 22,000 on Friday. The final figure will depend on Membership attendance.

Perth's first Test attracted 15,840 to the opening day's play on December 11, 1970.

The WACA Ground's biggest first day attendance (16,894) was recorded on December 1, 2000 when Australia confronted the West Indies.

Other big first day crowds include:

December 13, 1974, against England 16,381
November 12, 1982 against England 16,276
November 28, 1998 against England 16,788
December 12, 1975 against West Indies 15,482

The WACA's biggest second day crowd is 22,680 on December 14, 1974, against England.
The WACA's biggest third day figure is 24,151 on December 15, 1974 against England.
The WACA's biggest fourth day attendance is 19,808 on December 15, 1975, against the West Indies.
 

The WACA's Five Biggest overall Test attendances:
December 11-16, 1970 against England 84,142
December 13-17, 1974 against England 75,196
February 3-7, 1995, against England 71,679

With such a rush of sales in recent weeks, prospects of record first, second and third day attendances are mounting.

On the strength of such enthusiastic sales, WACA Chief Executive Mrs Kath White advised all cricket fans to purchase tickets well before Perth's Third Orange Test.

"The rate of pre-sales for a Test Match, exceeds the rate of pre-sales at all previous Test matches held at the WACA," said Mrs White.

"We expect most seating for the first three days could be sold prior to the Test match starting."

Mrs White said that recently installed Perimeter seating, with its enhanced comfort levels and extensive public and member interest in the recently completed $12million refurbishment of the WACA had heightened interest in Perth's Test.

She said that sales for Perth's One Day Internationals in December (Friday Dec 20 and Sunday Dec 22) are also selling rapidly.

© 2003 Western Australian Cricket Association

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.