LOC says Arnos Vale will be ready for ICC 2024

Members of St Vincent and the Grenadines ICC T/20 Men’s Cricket World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC), are exuding confidence that the venue will be ready for the much anticipated cricket spectacle. Importantly, this includes the turning on of the lights, and the hosting of a game under lights to test all systems before the cricket ground is officially handed over to the International Cricket Council.

The LOC members told SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday May 29, 2024, that had it not been for the delay in putting up the sixth bank of lights, the Grounds would have been about 90-percent ready to host matches. This delay in getting the lights up is also said to be hampering preparation and paving of the ring road, although work has started on the link road from the decommissioned E.T Joshua Airport tarmac to the ring road to facilitate the movement of patrons into the ground.

The sixth bank of lights were still on the ground at the Arnos Vale hard court Monday, as the Hellas Construction crew, contracted to install the flood lights at the Arnos Vale Cricket Ground await the much needed parts to complete the installation.

As the hours are counted down to the bowling of the first ball, the six Caribbean territories which will be hosting matches in the 2024 ICC Men’s T/20 Cricket World Cup are pulling out all the stops before the first ball is bowled on Sunday June 2, 2024, at Providence Stadium, Guyana, in the game, West Indies versus Papua New Guinea.

Here in St Vincent and the Grenadines, the finishing touches are being applied in time for the bowling of the first ball on June 13, 2024 when Bangladesh takes on The Netherlands.

Notwithstanding these, the sale of tickets has been progressing nicely according to a sales official at the ticket booth. She said that there has been a steady sale of tickets, and expects an increase in the coming days.

The LOC is pleased with the work done in the allocated time following the selecting of host venues. “Although some work was done on the double decker and Frank Thomas Stands- there was a lot of work to be done and be done quickly without compromising quality; the outfield today looks immaculate but that is due to the hard work of the ground staff and the contractors,” one LOC member said Wednesday.

“When persons come into Arnos Vale on June 13 to see the game, they will be astonished at the vast improvements made, and the new look facility. The turning on of the lights will be historic, and will be an added dimension to sports tourism here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but mark my word…we will be ready.”