ICC put Lara stadium on hold

THE FINAL decision on the use of the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, South Trinidad for Cricket World Cup matches next year has been delayed for at least two weeks by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

According to the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007, contingency proposals for alternative venues have been submitted to the ICC for consideration.

This was warranted because the construction of the new $850 million stadium is way behind schedule because of wet weather and the unavailability of construction material.

In-depth discussions between the LOC and the ICC will take place during the next two weeks, with the objective of achieving mutual agreement on the way forward.

At a media briefing at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain yesterday, Don Lockerbie, Venue Development Director of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, noted that the controversial facility will not be 100-percent ready in time to host warm-up matches next March.

He pointed out that while work on the pitch and outfield will be completed ahead of the scheduled October 31 deadline, the stands will not be built on time.

The venue was scrutinised yesterday by the ICC inspection team of Lockerbie, Jeff Atherton, Francis Lopez, Chris Tetley, Bob Laing, Eugene Janse Van Durren and Andy Roberts.

Roberts, the former West Indies fast bowler and coach, who is currently a member of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) selection panel, will focus exclusively on the pitches at all the 2007 World Cup venues.

The LOC stated that development works on the stadium were delayed mainly as a result of the following contributing factors — severe rains, the general over-heating of the local construction industry and unavailability of raw materials.

Lockerbie noted that the general construction boom in Trinidad meant a shortage of manpower at the project, which is being handled by UDECOTT (Urban Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago). “The site is not the easiest to build on,” said Lockerbie.

And he is aware that plans are in place to include a number of sports facilities at the stadium, with a view to make it a premier venue in Trinidad.

“It’ll be a great facility, in the future, for Trinidad and Tobago,” he stated.

But the immediate future of the stadium looks grim, Lockerbie declared, as each of the respective LOCs — Jamaica, Guyana, Antigua, St Kitts, Grenada, St Lucia, Barbados, St Vincent and Trinidad and Tobago, must have their venues prepared by October 31, with the final inspections taking place in December.

Lockerbie described the Lara Stadium as “the most behind schedule,” while the practice venues — the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva and the University of the West Indies (UWI) St Augustine campus, were “in good shape.” And he was high in praise for the work being done at the Queen’s Park Oval.

“You’re going to see a venue that is revitalised,” he said.

With regards to the Oval, work is almost finished on the new pavilion and the three-storey Trini Posse Stand, while the Gerry Gomez Media Centre and the Learie Constantine Stand are being refurbished.

Joel Bailey