The most prized ticket in town is safe in your pocket, now get your spectator strategy right for the biggest match of IPL 5 at the Eden Gardens on Saturday.

Metro tells you how.

START EARLY

Weather permitting, the umpires will say “Let’s play” sharp at 4pm. You surely wouldn’t want to miss the toss, let alone the first ball, by a few seconds. Not after all the hours you spent queuing up to buy that ticket, right?

Make sure you reach Esplanade by 3pm and are seated latest by 3.30pm to catch captains Sourav Ganguly and Gautam Gambhir walk out for the toss half an hour before the start of play.

Traffic at the city centre will be slow and the queues for entry into the stadium snaking, so give yourself time to get through these unavoidable hassles.

SIT RIGHT

In the euphoria of entering the cauldron of cricket at its most animated, don’t forget that you need to find the seat allotted against your ticket instead of plonking yourself in someone else’s.

Some regulars might tell you that adhering to seat numbers is not an Eden tradition, but play safe. You don’t want to get into a scrap with anyone over a seat in a packed stadium.

BRACE FOR RAIN

Jagmohan Dalmiya may have been joking about rain playing a cameo, but the weatherman isn’t.

A cyclonic circulation has been drawing moisture from the Bay of Bengal, raising the possibility of rain on an afternoon Calcutta will be praying there isn’t any.

According to a Met official, there is a greater chance of a rain interruption in the middle of the match than a delayed start.

CARRY UMBRELLAS

The ground rules on the back of your ticket may say umbrellas are not allowed inside the stadium, but police have made an exception for Saturday’s match based on the forecast.

All other restrictions remain, which means no cameras, mirrors, helmets and large bags.

And what about refreshments? No, spectators are not allowed to carry food and water, as usual.

Food kiosks under the stands will stock aerated drinks, patties, noodles, potato chips and water in pouches.

FIX YOUR TRANSPORT

If you are not travelling by personal car — parking will be a hassle, anyway — be prepared to walk the extra mile in search of buses or taxis after the match.

Will there be special Metro trains? No.

The last Metro going towards Kavi Subhash passes Esplanade at 10.02pm and the one headed for Dum Dum at 10.13pm.

The state transport department has promised additional buses.

Play by the rules

Lalbazar has arranged for three-tier security — inside the Eden Gardens, along the periphery and in the vicinity of the stadium.

Apart from the usual deployment of uniformed personnel, plainclothes teams from the detective department and the Special Task Force will maintain vigil to prevent black marketeers from selling tickets at a premium.

Two quick response teams and as many contingents of the Rapid Action Force will be deployed around the Eden Gardens.

Spectators found leaving their seats often or loitering will be shunted out immediately, warn the cops.

STAY BACK FOR SRK

After the real action gets over, it will be time for the reel stars to tonk a few sixes.

Shah Rukh Khan is likely to play a 10-overs-a-side match involving celebrities and the management teams of the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Pune Warriors India.

Jay Mehta is one of the probables in the KKR team, but bowling coach Wasim Akram probably won’t be seen in action, sources said.

“I will be cheerleading and happily seeing unfit people play cricket! I have seen these kind of matches before (last year in Bangalore) and you suddenly realise how unfit everybody is and how fit our teams actually are! I don’t think I want to do that….I don’t want to be laughed at,” said Jay’s wife, actress and KKR co-owner Juhi Chawla.

Tolly stars Jisshu, Dev and Jeet might be in the KKR after-match team.

The fun game would start around 8pm, provided the main match isn’t interrupted by rain, and continue till 9.30pm or 10pm.

KNOW YOUR TRAFFIC

Auckland Road, North Brooke Avenue and Gostha Pal Sarani (Kingsway) will be closed to all types of traffic ahead of the match.

High court-bound vehicles might be allowed to move along Esplanade Row West instead of Auckland Road and North Brooke Avenue, if deemed necessary by the traffic police.

Movement of goods vehicles will be restricted/suspended/diverted from roads around the Eden Gardens and Maidan from 11am till the home-bound crowd disperses.

PARK AT RIGHT PLACES

Parking is prohibited on Gostha Pal Sarani (Kingsway), Kshudiram Bose Road (Auckland Road), Government Place East, Rani Rashmoni Avenue, Old Court House Street, Indira Gandhi Sarani (Red Road), Guru Nanak Sarani (Mayo Road) and Dufferin Road.

The routes to the authorised parking lots have been demarcated according to the colour-coded stickers on cars — green, yellow, pink, blue and red.

Parking space for two-wheelers will be provided at two places — south of the Mohammedan Sporting Ground and on Strand Road, near Band Stand.

Cars without stickers will be allotted space on first-come-first-served basis at the Rangers Club ground.