Remote working encouraged at leading English cricket club seeking to boost attendances

LONDON -- Working from home is the new normal for millions of people in the U.K., and Surrey County Cricket Club has spotted an opportunity to galvanize attendances at its south London ground.Surrey, one of the most successful teams in England, is encouraging hybrid workers to come and do their jobs at The Kia Oval, the 180-year-old ground just south of the River Thames. Over the winter, it upgraded the Wi-Fi and set aside work areas with desks, access to power and clear views of the game. “Work From Oval,” it's been dubbed.It pondered whether it is the “best home office in the country” and crucially assured would-be-workers that “we won’t tell your boss.”Over the three home four-day County Championship matches it has hosted this season, hundreds have taken up the chance to work at the Oval. England's premier competition has been mocked for decades for its relatively low attendances — one man and his dog is a regularly voiced description, however unfair.That certainly wasn't the case at The Kia Oval on Friday when Surrey hosted Sussex on the first day of their match. Over 6,000 attended, the crowd swelled by the glorious weather and the prospect of a full-day