Antigua and Barbuda is investing heavily to ensure facilities are up to standard to host both practice and official matches of the upcoming T20 Cricket World Cup.
Speaking on the Browne and Browne radio program on Saturday, Minister of Education and Sport, Daryll Matthew, said Antigua and Barbuda commended by members of a visiting delegation from the International Cricket Council last week for work done to bring the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Liberta Sports Club and Antigua Recreation Ground up to standard for visiting teams to practice.
“We received high commendations. It was stated that Antigua and Barbuda is probably one of the countries that is most ahead in preparations for the world cup,” Matthew said.
The minister said he’s heard the cry of citizens about cosmetic work that is needed at the facilities, but he stated those weren’t required by the ICC.
“I believe the public may have had an expectation of seeing the stands being repainted and the whole ground getting a facelift, which is something that if we were in a position to do it we would have, but what is required for us is to have an adequate bathroom facility and an adequate outfield and pitch because it is a practice facility,” he stated.
“The team will go there for an hour or two and do their warmups, batting drills and so forth. So, the external facilities and amenities are not required as a part of the practice venue expectations.”
He said work will be done to ensure the historic Antigua Recreation Ground returned to some fragment of its former glory.
Matthew noted that it was his decision to have practice matches held at the Antigua Recreation Ground because it needs to be brought back into use as a cricket facility.
“We need to bring it back as a facility. And my vision really is the bring it back into operational use, trying to seek funding to build it back incrementally and to try to get it recertified as a cricket facility either for first class cricket or as a small T20 facility so that we can have three certified facilities in Antigua,” Matthew said.
The main Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is set to receive renovations such as new player dressing rooms, an upgraded Media Centre and retrofitted boxes.
Two electronic scoreboards are set to arrive in Antigua this week to replace the ones damaged during the passage of tropical storm tammy.
World Cup Cricket action in Antigua begins on June 9 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium where Oman will play Scotland.
Seven matches in total are expected to be played on Antigua including three Super 8 matches.
Mitchell said the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is set to be booked for cricket matches all the way until November.
Cricket is set to generate at least US$50 million worth of economic activity for Antigua and Barbuda this year, the minister added.