Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor
George Headley Stand with the seating bowl lowered to ground level. - CONTRIBUTED
A UNIFORMED security officer sits quietly by himself at the Sabina Park entrance on Emerald Road, presumably counting down the seconds of another long day on the job.
Profoundly, there are a ton-load of people working just out of sight around the corner on the same site who are so busy they don't even have a second to count as they race the clock to ready the ground in preparation for next year's Cricket World Cup.
Beginning on Monday, March 5, Sabina Park will host all the West Indies' group matches at the ICC WI CWC 2007 event, but that is not the real reason for the feverish activity there at this time.
"Sabina is about a month behind but we're not worried as it relates to the World Cup," explained Pauline Nelson, communications manager of Jamaica Cricket 2007 Limited, the Local Organising Committee (LOC).
"Because we are obligated to play India and Zimbabwe there we are a little worried," she said.
The LOC plans to use matches against both touring teams in just a few months to test certain aspects of its preparation for the game's global showpiece event in 2007. The Zimbabwe tour is in jeopardy, given the African country's cricket turmoil that ultimately led to the players' refusal to represent the nation in a huge stand-off with the game's authorities there. However, the Indian tour that begins on May 15 is definitely on.
MAKING UP TIME
"Construction-wise we're making up some time and we expect that our plans for hosting the matches in May, will be met and the stadium will be ready as scheduled in October," said a hopeful Robert Bryan, executive director of the LOC.
The main problem facing the cup organisers relates to seating, as the ground is being reconstructed at a projected cost of US$29 million, with a US$3.7 million overlay. Overall, the Government has budgeted US80m for the event.
The George Headley Stand has been remodelled with few, but major changes, specifically with some boxes in the midst of the stands and the seating level has been lowered right down to the ground. It is such that there is no longer a balcony overlooking the boundary, but one can actually walk straight from the stands on to the field.
Also, the seats are completely installed, but are in need of cleaning.
It still maintains the concourse, at about the same level where the balcony was. However, the concourse will transcend the entire breadth of the park across the eastern side to the northern end which once housed the Air Jamaica Stand, press box and Red Stripe Mound.
All those facilities have been demolished and new stands are being built for media with an announcer's box, hospitality suite and the players' pavilion, which used to be at the George Headley Stand end.
The Mound area will be moved to take up the entire eastern stretch parallel to South Camp Road.
SEATING BOWL
"We're comfortable that the seating bowl, the lower seats on the new stand, will be ready," Nelson pointed out. "George Headley will be ready, but the higher stands will not be. The problem we have is a one-month delay but we feel they will catch up.
"We're getting a new Mound and the new name is the Party Stand," Nelson said.
In the midst of all the developments sits the field. It is green, really green, and well manicured, with a carpet-like appearance that tells its readiness for a toss, even tomorrow.
Like the security officer at the entrance though, it remains largely oblivious in a world where every passing second means so much to those working against the clock to ready Sabina Park for its test run.
