( L - R ) Jerome Taylor and Chris Gayle- file photos

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent (CMC):

The Carib Beer match and KFC Cup limited overs fixture between and the Windward Islands and Jamaica have been shifted from St. Vincent and the Grenadines to St. Lucia owing to problems with the match venue, Sion Hill Playing Field, cricket officials here have said.

SVG Cricket Association president Julian Jack said that the contractors cannot complete the new pavilion in time and the workers preparing the outfield advised against playing the match there.

"The contractors are working towards the January 31st deadline and appear not too motivated about increasing the level of work to accommodate us. On the matter of the outfield we were told that it would not be wise to use the field and push back preparations by a week ahead of the handing over to the ICC. So it was decided, based on these things, to inform the Windwards board of the situation," Jack said.

Sion Hill is being prepared to be a practice venue for Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007.

Windwards board president, Lennox John, said he was extremely disappointed about not getting a match for the Carib Beer Series.

Disappointed

"This has robbed cricket fans here from seeing the likes of Chris Gayle (West Indies opener) and Jerome Taylor (West Indies fast bowler) who are two of the top West Indies cricketers now. I really think that with a little more effort in the work on the pavilion we would have been able to take that game. I am really disappointed," John said.

He said officials in St. Lucia were approached and have consented to host the Carib Beer match, which begins tomorrow. The KFC match will be played next week Wednesday.

The Windward Islands and Guyana played to a no-decision in their opening rain-affected match at the Tanteen Recreation Ground in Grenada this past weekend.