BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (AP):
THE INTERNATIONAL Cricket Council (ICC) approved the 12 venues staging matches for next year's Cricket World Cup, the first in the Caribbean.
Don Lockerbie, the ICC's venue development director, said the nine host countries had prepared well for what organisers believe will be the biggest sporting event ever staged in the region.
"All the venues are on stream and we are doing mighty fine. We are where we believe we should be at this time," Lockerbie said on Tuesday at Kensington Oval, the venue for the April 28 final.
He said the only venue which concerned him was the new Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad, which will stage pre-tournament matches from March 2-9.
"We believe it started too late and they are pitching at 15,000 seats. All we really require for pre-tournament matches is around 5,000 seats," he said. "We are looking good and we will be ready to host the cricket world in style."
Lockerbie added that problems with cement shortages were being overcome.
Pre-tournament matches will be at the new Brian Lara Stadium, 3Ws Oval in Barbados, the new Trelawny Stadium in Jamaica and Arnos Vale in St. Vincent.
The opening ceremony will be at Trelawny on March 11.
The tournament starts two days later and matches will be played at Kensington Oval, Barbados; Sabina Park, Jamaica; Beausejour, St. Lucia; Warner Park, St. Kitts; Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua; Queen's Park, Grenada; Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad; and Providence Stadium, Guyana.
