Barbados is 80-90 per cent ready to stage the local leg of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Twenty20, West Indies, tournament.
Word of this has come from Events Coordinator and Acting President of the Barbados Cricket Association, Conde Riley. He was speaking today at a press briefing
and unveiling ceremony at Kensington Oval, of the first of six bats to be placed at strategic locations around the island.
Mr. Riley said that the project management team had been holding weekly meetings and hoped that within the next two months they would only need to be "fine tuning" all of their plans. He mentioned that so far the ICC had completed two inspections, adding "we in Barbados are fairly comfortable."
Mr. Riley indicated that since the competition would involve double-headers, (two matches a day), two additional dressing-rooms were being constructed, as well as an area on the Eastern side of Kensington Oval to seat 500 fans.
Mr. Riley emphasised that the tournament was not expected to attract 30,000 spectators as in the World Cup of 2007, since it was not of that magnitude. However, he anticipated that the event would draw large numbers, with some 2,600 fans expected to pack the Party Stand.
Performers at the Twenty20 will include Edwin Yearwood and Krosfyah, Red Plastic Bag and David ???Ziggy’ Walcott. "There will be entertainers from across the region and the intention is to have a big celebration," he noted.
During today’s ceremony, cricket legend, the Reverend Dr. Wes Hall unveiled the first bat just outside Kensington Oval. Other bats will be placed at the Bay Street and Speightstown Esplanades, the Warrens roundabout, the Grantley Adams Airport and Oistins Bay Gardens.
??The slogan for the competition is ???Bring It’ and fans are being invited to bring all the fun and excitement that is synonymous with cricket in the Caribbean. The theme song, performed by Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez and Mr. Vegas, features a ???ragga soca’ style.
The tournament will start on April 30 and concludes with the finals in Barbados on May 16.