Fans slam ‘pathetic’ turnout for Australian T20 cricket match against West Indies on the Gold Coast

Cricket fans have slammed the dismal turnout for an Australia’s T20 clash with the West Indies on the Gold Coast on Wednesday night.

Matthew Wade and Mitchell Starc managed to scrape Australia to an exciting three-wicket victory with one ball to spare in the T20 international at Metricon Stadium.

The Aussies needed 11 to win from Sheldon Cottrell’s final over, with wicketkeeper-batsman Wade (39 not out off 29 balls) dropped by Raymon Reifer with seven still needed.

The West Indian cricket side lined up at Metricon Stadium in front of a crowd of just a few thousand spectators. Fans watching on TV were appalled by the amount of empty seats

Australia’s batsmen Mitchell Starc (pictured right) and Matthew Wade walk off the field after victory in the opening cricket match of Twenty20 series between Australia and West Indies at Metricon Stadium on Wednesday night

Kyle Mayers then failed to cling on to another chance in the deep to get rid of Starc off the fourth ball, before the paceman took advantage of his reprieve to get the hosts across the line with two off the penultimate delivery.

Despite the exciting finish to the game, there were only a few thousand fans at the ground to witness.

Viewers watching the game on TV were shocked by the amount of empty red seats at Metricon Stadium.

‘Bumper crowd at the Gold Coast – must be 150 fans,’ Tweeted one viewer.

Another fan wrote: ‘Can’t be giving Gold Coast any international sporting fixtures in cricket after this crowd turnout.’

Australia’s Tim David is pictured following his dismissal on Wednesday night

A third added: ‘Absolute joke of a crowd in. Reckon there’s more players and support staff in the ground than actual fans.’

The Gold Coast isn’t known as a hub for live sport, but the tiny turnout for Australia’s first home T20I of the season would cause concerns for administrators just weeks away from the T20 World Cup.

Some fans put it down to a lack of marketing and awareness about the event.

‘I’m like an hour and a bit away from the Gold Coast in Brisbane and I didn’t even know the game was on until this morning there’s been no ads that I’ve seen,’ wrote one viewer.

Kyle Mayers of West Indies is pictured dropping a catch during the game in front of a dismal turnout at Metricon Stadium

Another added: ‘The Gold Coast is a dead spot for sport. Throw in the very little promotion to stick the boot in and this is your result.’

‘Worst game day experience at a live sporting event bar none for the cricket tonight. Most of the stadium is closed. One bar and two food stalls for the entire crowd. The line for a beer is an hour long. What a farce,’ replied a third.

The T20 World Cup will commence on October 16, and will see 16 nations battle it out across seven Australian cities.