Memories flood back as time catches up with Bourda

For years, the Bourda Oval stood firm against the march of time and torrential rain, but the World Cup has signaled the end for one of the oldest cricket grounds in the Caribbean. With the modern Guyana National Stadium at Providence, built by the Indian government at a cost of US$ 25 million dollars, taking over from Bourda, the ramshackle, historic ground is now relegated to hosting regional matches only, AFP reports.

But Bourda's place in West Indies cricket history is assured.

It was here that West Indies achieved their first Test win - a 289-run victory over England in 1930 - two years after they had gained Test match status. Since then, legends like Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Joe Solomon, Lance Gibbs, Clive Lloyd, Roy Fredricks, Alvin Kallicharan, Colin Croft, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan have cut their teeth at the famous venue.

The Bourda, built in 1884, is part of the fabric of Georgetown. For individuals like Neil Singh, who is the president of the Georgetown Cricket Club which owns the stadium, the old venue is like a second home. "New things come in place of the old. People come and go, but the memory remains. And so will Bourda," Singh told AFP of the ground which is below sea level, was often flooded and was the first cricket venue on the South America mainland.

"It was hard to cope with Bourda not staging World Cup matches. We had plans in place, but the government had soft loans available for a new facility and life moves on," said Singh, whose club celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2008.

Cricket was a common interest for people here once slavery was abolished in 1833 and the Bourda was the venue where players came to show their skills. Situated in Georgetown, the stadium is surrounded by a moat. When the stands are full, 25,000 people watch the action unfold. It has a wooden pavilion, and a stand at fine leg just adjacent to the bar.

"The Bourda has no equal," said Jailal Ramnath, who has been working at the bar since 1988. "How can Lord's be replaced in England? The Bourda is to West Indies cricket what Lord's is to England."

Apart from some extraordinary cricketing feats, the Bourda has also seen mini-riots. During a 'Super Test' in 1979, organised by the late Australian TV tycoon Kerry Packer, the pavilion was ransacked and players had to hide in the dressing-rooms after an umpire controversially gave a West Indies batsman out. In 1978, hometown star Lloyd resigned in anger after opener Desmond Haynes was dropped from a Test against Australia.

"It (Bourda) was the economic hub of Georgetown," said Roy Rampersaud, who has watched cricket here for nearly three decades. "You could come and see the early part of the match, go to the shops and then come back because it is within reach. The new stadium is far off. The Bourda was lucky for West Indies."

Of the 30 Tests played at the Bourda, the West Indies drew 17, won seven and lost just six. The ground, which hosted its 11th and last one-day international in May, also saw the hosts win four one-dayers and lose five. The remaining two ended in ties.

Chetran Singh, the Guyana Cricket Association president, believes the new stadium will open new avenues for the sport in the region. "For international cricket, this is the end of the Bourda. That chapter is closed. The problem of poor drainage was the key and we had to have a new facility to move on.”