Friday 16 February 2007
Clarence Hiles reports from the Caribbean...
The buzz is well and truly underway and as the days slip quietly by the realization that the biggest event ever to hit the Caribbean is starting to hit home on every island. Caribbean people are generally optimistic, but the sceptics are everywhere, bemoaning the lack of ticket sales, unfinished grounds, road works everywhere, hotel rooms NOT filled, cancellations, visa problems, and serious logistics of moving thousands of people from one location to another.
If you believe all you read you may think this is a fiasco in the making, but the truth is that ticket sales are going along fine, very few grounds are behind schedule, road works will be finished on time, hotel bookings are solid, there has been very few cancellations, visa issues are being handled efficiently and for good security reasons, and a fleet of floating cruise ships appears to be the answer to most of the logistic problems. Trinidad may have its challenges but there’s no doubt that the Kensington Oval in Barbados will be ready on time, and what a magnificent spectacle it will be. This Saturday 17thFebruary will be an important milestone in that preparation as Alex Stewart captains a vintage England XI against a similar West Indies XI amidst a packed program of sideshows and celebrations to officially launch the ‘new’ Kensington Oval. After that there’s no turning back and the most famous cricket ground in the Caribbean will wait in anticipation for the what promises to be a feast of wonderful cricket with all the associated razzmatazz that is uniquely West Indian.
For the Ireland supporters all flights head to trouble-torn Jamaica and although Kingston opened the year with 140 murders in January, Ocho Rios in the north is a beautiful base and trips to Sabina Park on match days will be guarded by heavy security reminiscent of Belfast in the Troubles of the Seventies. Don’t be put off by all the bad publicity coming out of Kingston as this is an amazing tropical melting-pot and the advice to everyone travelling is simply be careful and diligent and you will have a wonderful time. The drugs war in Kingston has nothing to do with cricket, and Sabina Park will be no different than Croke Park or Windsor Park come March as Jamaicans love their sport with a passion and will be wonderful hosts.
Watch this space for de action!
