The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) had initially said that T&T would host the preliminary rounds from January 9 and Barbados would take over for the rest of the tournament from January 16, leading to the finals.
However, a very credible source said yesterday that the issue of cost as it relates to renting the Queen’s Park Oval, has now become an issue and the WICB has decided to take the T&T leg to Antigua.
The matches in Trinidad were to be played at the Queen’s Park Oval and it is understood that the authorities there were asking for US$100,000 for the six days of cricket.
According to the source:”The Oval was asking for US$100,000 for the six days of cricket and the WICB thought this was way too much. They have now decided to take it to Antigua, where the first round was played last year as well.”
It is understood that the WICB will be getting the Sir Vivian Richards Ground in St. John’s at a much cheaper rate, as it is controlled by the Antigua and Barbuda government.
The Queen’s Park Oval is privately owned and hence the reason why the price is as stated. The source went on to add :”This is a very serious issue and the T&T government needs to take a look at the situation because here again we have an issue, where the local fans are not getting to see T&T the regional champions play at home.
“We need to have a national cricket stadium, so the government could afford to rent it out to the WICB at a lower rate and T20 cricket would be played here.”
The controversial Brian Lara Stadium in South was supposed to be used as a national cricket controlled by the T&T government but no one has an idea as to when this facility would host matches.
The WICB has been taking the regional T20 matches to Antigua and Barbados for the past few seasons because they get assistance from the government of those two Islands.
T&T are the defending regional T20 champions and will be looking to win again in order to qualify for the 2012 Champions League cricket tournament. In the three years of regional T20 cricket, T&T has won the title twice (going to the Champions League in India twice) and finished third on the other occasion, when Guyana won and represented the region in South Africa.
