Barbados and Jamaica unfit to host World Cup matches

The man responsible for running the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean has claimed that two of the region's highest-profile cricket grounds are in desperate need of renovation.

Chris Dehring, chief executive officer of Windies World Cup, told the Sunday Sun newspaper that Jamaica's Sabina Park and Barbados's Kensington Oval were not fit to be used in the 2007 World Cup, and that investment of several millions of dollars was needed to get them ready in time.

"You are talking about two countries which have been so-called traditional venues of international cricket in the Caribbean," Dehring explained. "Yet, because of their status as traditional venues, very little, or certainly not enough, has been done, to improve the quality of the stadiums in these countries over the last 40 years.

"So what you have is a situation where the best or the most modern cricket stadiums are actually now in the Eastern Caribbean: St Lucia, Antigua, St Vincent and Grenada, which have new facilities and purpose-built cricket stadiums.

"That's one area where both Jamaica and Barbados have fallen behind. I think it's quite sad when you think about the tradition of cricket in Barbados where you have Kensington Oval, which the Barbadians refer to as the Mecca. I ask myself if this is the Mecca, why hasn't an investment befitting a Mecca taken place in Barbados over the last 30 years."

Dehring did, however, argue that the very lack of readiness presented its own opportunities. "The beauty about it is that there is really no country that is absolutely ready, so, this is a green field. You don't have these massive infrastructures you would have to move out of the way to put the World Cup infrastructure. It really is an opportunity to put in place exactly what we want and factor in what we need in the Caribbean, whether it is the cricket World Cup or not."

Dehring concluded that although the plans were as much as two years behind schedule, he believed that the Caribbean would be ready in time, and he dismissed reports that the International Cricket Council (ICC) was looking at alternative venues. "All of the television rights have been sold all around the world," he said. "I don't think it could be disbanded even if the ICC wanted to, and the ICC and the Caribbean have no intention of walking away from the exciting challenge of the World Cup in the West Indies."

Asked whether last week's suggestions for a revamp of the whole one-day structure would affect the tournament, Dehring smiled. "It's just like saying that somebody submitted a proposal for restructuring the Olympic Games and Athens is in danger."