SYDNEY, November 5: Australia are facing a big financial loss because of low ticket sales for the first cricket Test against New Zealand, local newspapers said today. Fewer than 2,500 tickets have been pre-sold for the opening three days at the 21,000-capacity Gabba, reflecting a widespread lack of interest, Sydney's Daily Telegraph reported.

The poor sales for the Test in Brisbane, starting on Friday, have been attributed to Kiwis' relative obscurity and dismal form so far ``This series could be to cricket's box office what the (flop movie) Attack of the Killer Tomatoes was to the cinema industry... The worst ever,'' a Queensland official was quoted as saying. Few of the New Zealanders are familiar to Australian cricket fans.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.