ROADS around the home of Hampshire Cricket are packed with motorists this morning as England take on New Zealand.

Long queues have built up on the M27 eastbound near to the Ageas Bowl, where thousands of cricket fans are heading for today's Natwest One Day International.

The congestion comes after roads bosses issued travel advice for fans coming to watch the match.

The Ageas Bowl is hosting the second NatWest One Day International 50-over match tomorrow and has already sold close to 13,000 tickets.

The ground reported tickets were selling fast with only a few hundred yesterday still available.

For live coverage of the match click here

In response Eastleigh Borough Council has issued travel options for fans to help reduce congestion around the ground, in West End.

The council will also be undertaking temporary coning of residential areas around the Ageas Bowl together with traffic management arrangements for the match including the closure of Botley Road when the match finishes.

Fans will get to see England take on New Zealand in the second of three matches in the NatWest One Day International Series.

The first was held yesterday at Lord’s and the final contest takes place at Trent Bridge, in Nottingham on Wednesday.

The Ageas Bowl is also set to host an England against Australia in a one-day international and T20 game later this summer.

It hosted its first international Test in 2011, as England faced Sri Lanka, while it has also hosted several one-day matches and two Twenty20 Finals Days.

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The ground will be the setting for a Test between England and India next year.

The Daily Echo revealed earlier this week that the stadium is expected to be confirmed as one of the ten grounds that will host matches in the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

The Hampshire stadium has been undergoing a £48m development, which it has been said will see the venue become the country’s only “model Test match ground”.

A six-storey, 175-bed Hilton hotel is due to become fully operational next March – the building work has limited the stadium’s capacity for the match to 13,000 from its usual 25,000.

The building will feature restaurants, a spa and conference facilities and it is hoped that this will create hundreds of jobs.

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Work is also under way on an 18-hole golf course adjacent to the hotel.

The project is going ahead after the Liberal Democratcontrolled Eastleigh Borough Council controversially agreed to buy the lease of the 167-acre Rose Bowl site for £6.5m.

Council leader Cllr Keith House said: “It’s fantastic to welcome the players, officials, media and of course the fans to the borough to enjoy the prestigious and world class cricket venue that is The Ageas Bowl.

“I’m delighted that our borough will be the focus of the cricketing world and I’m sure that local cricket fans together with the many thousands travelling from further afield will have a great time at The Ageas Bowl and enjoy the experience and facilities offered by our borough.”

The match starts at 10.45am and is scheduled to finish at 6.30pm.

Tickets are available at the ground between 9am and 4pm today and on the day if they are still available.

For live coverage of the match click here