THERE are few more truly depressing sights than seeing a cricket ground with swathes and swathes of empty seats – especially when those seats are empty for a Test match.

Yet that is what we are seeing on an increasing number of times in this country and the authorities must take a deep and long look at themselves for the sake of the game.

The prices to get into a Test match are, quite frankly, atrocious. They have been for years and are getting worse.

Take for example the second Test between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston. Adult tickets for that game START at £60 – and for the Lord’s Test at the end of August when anything can happen with the weather, the price is a laughable £100. Great, I’ll have a dozen!

It is a rip-off and it is about time people started voting with their feet.

The authorities will come up with the usual guff about the need to charge the earth so grounds can be improved.

They will also say that prices are cheap compared to football and you get more hours of play at the cricket.

But that lame old argument is akin to preferring Pol Pot to Idi Amin.

Football is a rip off, rugby is getting that way. People are struggling for money yet sport wants to up the ante and tug on the heartstrings of the fans, who want to get to the action.

You come to realise that a day out at top sporting events is bound to cost you an arm and a leg and a little bit more...and for tomorrow’s first Test with Pakistan bosses at Trent Bridge have even come up with the extra way to part punters from the contents of their wallets.

Sensing the fact that people will probably need to eat something during the course of a long day, they have come up with the very decent idea of a two-person picnic – for the cost of £80.

That’s a lot to pay for a few curly butties and pan-fried caramelised halloumi cheese, tossed with coriander, peppers, radish, spring onions, red chilli and cucumber, marinated in a lime and olive oil dressing.

And as a lad from Lancashire I have no idea what most of those things are, as nice as they sound.

I never thought I would say it but I really hope this Test series is played out in front of empty seats.

Maybe then the bosses will accept that the fans are an essential part of the game and not a commodity, a way of making a quick buck.