Gordon Williams, Contributor

The ground staff at the new Trelawny multi-purpose stadium prepares the pitch for a recent Capital and Credit one-day game between Trelawny and Westmoreland. The new seats in the background form the Jamaica flag. - Adrian Frater photo

THE DEVILISH dark clouds that hovered low above the Trelawny multi-purpose stadium drew the ire of a scattered crowd on hand to witness the cricket match between Jamaica and a team from the United States recently.

Some stewed in silence in their seats, which are arranged in brightly coloured rows at the picturesque stadium by the sea, matching the pattern of the Jamaican flag. Their frustration bubbled over at the possibility that the first game staged at the still-to-be completed venue, which will host four warm-up matches for Cricket World Cup 2007, could be washed out. Others mumbled under their breath.

But shortly after driving showers sent players scampering for their dressing rooms, delaying play, one man appeared neither disappointed nor angry at the damper placed on the event.

"It's ironic," O'Neil Cruickshank admitted to a visitor from overseas, barely conceding a smile, "but yes, the occurrence as it happened out there is actually good for us."

That "occurrence" was rain, heavy rain, and rain and cricket don't mix. Every fan - except maybe those watching their team sliding towards defeat - hates the intervention of showers.

The downpour at the ground would eventually force a competitive match to be decided by the always ugly Duck-worth/Lewis scoring system.

cricket blasphemy

That Cruickshank, a former national cricketer, had found a silver lining in the ominous clouds did not make it any easier to accept. It bordered on cricket blasphemy, unless you understood his job.

Cruickshank is cricket operations manager for the Jamaica Local Organising Committee for CWC 2007 with responsibility for the field of play.

In other words, he must ensure that the wicket and the outfield are in top condition when the world's best players arrive in the island with the entire cricket world watching. And while International Cricket Conference (ICC) inspectors had given work at the Trelawny ground their approval a couple weeks earlier, and players from Jamaica and the U.S. provided match action similar to what can be expected at CWC, the rain set a surprise exam for the stadium crew and the brand new playing area itself.

"What (the rain) has done is it gives the ground a test," Cruickshank explained during the break in the action. "(To see) how it could withstand weather like this (and) how the ground staff could respond in a situation like this."

passed the test

Turns out both ground and staff passed. The sand-based outfield quickly sucked up the water from the downpour. The covers put on by the staff prevented excessive moisture from seeping on to the pitch. As soon as the showers stopped, play was ready to resume.

That has hardly been the case - especially in Jamaica - in the past, when sometimes no ball could be bowled long after the rains had stopped to allow the outfield and/or wicket to dry out.

Other aspects of the playing area received good marks as well. The wicket, although observers, including Cruickshank, admitted that the northern or seaside end appeared a bit higher than the southern, played true, with a bit of carry for the bowlers.

The batsmen, too, appeared to enjoy the even bounce throughout the day on the strip made of clay taken from Appleton Estate in St. Elizabeth - the same used for the pitch at Sabina Park in Kingston. The outfield, which served up the occasional bumpy spots, was lush green, despite the absence of a well on the property.

Cruickshank claims it will all be much closer to perfection by the time the West Indies play Kenya in the first warm-up match on March 5. Come shine, or rain.

Gordon Williams is a Jamaican ournalist based in the United States.