Cricket: What you'll pay at the World Cup

"Inclusiveness" is how New Zealand's cricket World Cup boss calls the thinking behind setting prices for the 2015 event to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

"For the World Cup to happen and be fabulous, just like the Rugby World Cup [in 2011] and the Cricket World Cup in 1992, we wanted everyone to feel they can touch it," Therese Walsh said yesterday after announcing an appealing pricing structure for the tournament, starting in February 2015.

"Prices can't be out of the range of most Kiwi pockets. We think these are really reasonable. It's about making something pretty much most Kiwis could sign up to if they want to."

So children get into any pool match in New Zealand for $5, going up to $20 and $30 for the quarter-final and semifinal respectively in Wellington and Auckland.

Adult prices start at $20 for pool games, $50 for the quarter-final and $65 for the semi.

It's a smart move from the tournament bosses because engagement with the youngest fans is assured.

Although some within the organising committee may have wanted more bang out of their buck, the structure should be a winner.

The key could be getting in smartly from the time sales open, under a range of banners, from December 2.

"Take Christchurch for example," Walsh said. "The opening match (New Zealand against Sri Lanka) has just over 18,000 seats. That'll sell out in a heartbeat, so I think there's going to be a lot of disappointed people." We want them to get in and get tickets."

Registering on the official site, www.cricketworldcup.com, enables getting into a pre-sale window ahead of the general release date of February 14.

There will be limits of eight tickets per person for both pool and quarter-final games; and six is the maximum for the semifinals and final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 29.

All monies from ticket sales go to Cricket World Cup 2015 Ltd to be dispersed to Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket.

Walsh said the trickiest part of the pricing was around the finals, "in terms of how far do you push the envelope".

"Where we've ended up, we've still kept some exclusivity. If you want to be sitting in the best seat in the house you will be paying more than you'd normally pay for a cricket match.

"But inclusion of families is our key thing."

The draw and dates for the associate members tournament - to be staged in New Zealand in February to find the last two qualifiers for the 14-team event - will be released early next month.

WHAT YOU WILL PAY:

* Prices for children's tickets (aged up to 16) at all pool matches is $5, with quarter-final tickets costing $20 and semifinal $30. Adult pool tickets are from $20, meaning a family of two adults and two children could watch a pool game for $50
* Three-quarters of all tickets to the 23 matches in New Zealand will cost $50 or less
* For the Wellington quarter-final tickets range from $50 to $150; while prices for Eden Park's semifinal start at $65, rising to $195
* Tickets start going on sale on December 2 for venue members; on February 3-7 for the 'cricket family' - such as members of clubs or associations - from February 10-12 in an official pre-sale slot, for people who have registered on the World Cup website; and worldwide distribution is from February 14.