From rxpgnews.com
Guyana stadium to have fast outfield for World Cup
By RxPG News Service,
Nov 24, 2006 - 8:37:09 PM
New Delhi, Nov 24 - Guyana's India-aided Providence Stadium, which has come up where there were cane fields once, will have 'green, hard and fast' outfield when it hosts the 2007 cricket World Cup.
World Cup venue development director Donald Lockerbie said the pitch and the outfield have to improve in time for the 16-team tournament that starts March 11.
'Lockerbie expressed satisfaction with the work done so far but made no bones about the state of the pitch and outfield after last Thursday's visit, stressing that component has some way to go,' said the World Cup organisers in a statement.
Lockerbie said the best expertise in Guyana and the region would be utilised to get the field 'green, hard and fast'. This can be done in the required time, he assured.
World Cup managing director and CEO Chris Dehring was, however, pleased with what he saw.
He marvelled at 'what was but a cane-field at the Providence site two-and-a-half years ago has become a fantastic stadium'. However, he too cautioned there is still a lot to be done.
The stadium, which will stage six second round World Cup matches between March 27 and April 10, has been billed as a symbol of friendship between India and Guyana with India giving the Guyanese government a grant of $6 million.
While stating that Guyanese should see Providence Stadium as a national symbol, Dehring urged the island's local organising committee to continue tackling their challenges and called on its people to support the organisers in their quest to fulfil Guyana's commitment to the World Cup.
On accommodation, Dehring said he was confident that Guyana would meet its requirements.
He said the completion of Buddy's International Hotel is important. That project is aiming for a year-end opening.
Dehring said that till date 1,000 rooms in Guyanese homes have been registered for the tournament's bed and breakfast programme.
The World Cup will be held in nine Caribbean islands between March 11 and April 28.
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