ICC CWC 2007 verification tour begins Monday

A team of world games experts and officials from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 Inc. (CWC 2007) begin a tour of countries bidding to host matches in the ICC CWC 2007 this Monday (May 24) with a view to verifying information submitted in the respective bids and assessing first-hand the resources of the region.

The 11 countries bidding to host the ICC CWC 2007 matches made their submissions on May 6 and as a follow up, the group of experts known as the Venue Assessment Team (VAT) and ICC/CWC 2007 officials will conduct the intensive Verification Tour from May 24 to 29 and June 7 to 12.

St. Lucia is the first country on the itinerary, followed by St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Barbados, the USA, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis, Jamaica and Bermuda.

The VAT will tour stadiums, meet with Local Organizing Committees as well as government officials and working groups covering areas of stadium/venue design; security; transportation and traffic; accommodation; event operation; airport/marina planning and operations; medical services; media/broadcasting services and IT/telecommunications.

The 12-member group includes ICC officials Andy Atkinson, ICC Pitch Consultant and Eugene Van Vuuren, ICC Venue Consultant; CWC 2007 officials, Christopher Dehring, Managing Director and Donald Lockerbie, Venue Development Director.

The VAT includes Andrew Wildblood, Senior International Vice-President - IMG/TWI and a Director of the VAT; Nigel Rushman, Managing Director of Rushmans Ltd and Managing Director the VAT and Bob Laing, Principal of Sinclair Knight Merz and a Director of the VAT. Other members are Rory Steyn of Rushmans Limited who is Security Advisor for the VAT; Mandy Keegan of Rushmans Ltd; Peter Calf of Sinclair Knight Merz; Laurie-Ann Holding of Kelly Holding Ltd. Rebecca Stauter of the ICC CWC Venue Development Department is the coordinator of the Verification Tour.

The countries selected to host matches will be announced on July 4 and the matches that will be awarded to these countries will be revealed on July 13, 2004 during an event that will be broadcast live throughout the region on radio and television.

For further information:

Saunders-Franklyn Associates
Tel: (246) 437 - 5588
Fax: (246) 437- 5593
E-mail: saunders@sunbeach.net