ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC– Ernest Hilaire has explained the West Indies Cricket Board’s decision to strenuously resist the staging of a mega-concert at the Queen’s Park Oval next month.
The chief executive officer of the WICB disclosed that the regional governing body would have been left with no choice but to act decisively and move two upcoming fixtures to other venues, if a concert by music megastar Beyoncé had been staged at the ground on February 18.
The Queen’s Park Cricket Club, the owners of the Queen’s Park Oval, made a request to the WICB to delay the start of a regional four-day match between T&T and Windward Islands from February 19 to 20 to facilitate the staging of the concert.
“The WICB’s position is quite clear,” Hilaire said in a media release. “QPCC is the authorised body that provides permission for the use of the Queen’s Park Oval, and can provide permission to the organizers of the concert, if it so decides.
“The WICB has indicated that if permission is granted to host the Beyoncé concert, the WICB will move the first-class match to another venue in Trinidad.”
Hilaire added that the WICB’s greatest concern about the staging of the concert was that Queen’s Park Oval is scheduled to stage a Twenty20 International between West Indies and Zimbabwe on February 28.
”After the experience of the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, where the entire region was embarrassed and subjected to a penalty from the ICC, the WICB is not anxious to expose itself to any potential embarrassment and chastisement,” he said.
The second Test between West Indies and England last year at Antigua’s VRCG was abandoned, after 10 balls because of an overly sandy outfield.
An extra layer of sand had been applied to the VRCG outfield, following a spell of heavy flooding, and it resulted in the bowlers being unable to gain a foothold when running in to bowl.
The sandy nature of the outfield for the match earned the ground the nickname of Antigua’s 366th beach in keeping with one of the marketing slogans for the island that boasts of a beach for every day of the year.
The abandonment caused great embarrassment for West Indies cricket, resulting in the International Cricket Council – the sport’s World governing body – suspending the ground from staging all international matches for 12 months and an official warning for the embattled WICB.
”The WICB is of the view that should there be any damage of whatever nature to the pitch or field that prevents the hosting of the international match, the reputation of the West Indies would be severely tarnished once again,” said Hilaire about staging the Beyoncé concert so close to the T20I.
“It is a chance that should not be taken, and if the Queen’s Park Oval is used for the staging of the Beyoncé concert, the WICB will explore all other options to safeguard the best interest of West Indies cricket.”
QPCC officials have indicated that they would notify the organisers of the Beyoncé concert it would be a challenge to stage the event at the World-famous cricket ground.
