Jarrett Park preparation affected by rains

With one day to go before the start of the first round of matches in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-day championship, organisers of the Jamaican leg are expressing concerns about the readiness of the pitch at Jarrett Park.

The grounds staff at the Montego Bay venue, which will host the Trinidad and Tobago versus the Combined Campuses and Colleges match, have been working overtime in an effort to get the pitch up to scratch before tomorrow's start.

Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) Operations Officer, Courtney Francis, told The Gleaner that heavy rainfall in the area has caused preparation efforts to fall behind schedule.

"There is a concern at Jarrett Park because it has been raining so much, the preparation has been slowed somewhat," said Francis. "However, my person on the spot has assured me that they will do whatever is necessary to get it ready in time."

Where the problem lies

Francis explained that the problem really lies in the inability of ground personnel to apply the necessary rolling to the pitch due to the fact that the pitch has to be covered constantly to protect it from the rains.

He is hoping for an improvement in the weather so that the workmen will be able to get some work done to the pitch.

"It (pitch) has been covered due to the rain so we have not been able to get enough rolling done on it up to now. When I called this morning (yesterday) I was told that it was overcast. If the weather improves then we will be able to do the rolling to ensure that we get it up to the standard that is expected at his level."

Despite the concerns with Jarrett Park, Francis is happy with the level of preparation going into tomorrow's opening day of the competition, which will see the first round being played simultaneously at three separate venues across the island.

"We are ready, I am very happy with where we are at this point. Outside of the Jarrett Park situation, we are all very comfortable. The other two venues are ready, I have visited them myself and everything, including the pitch and the general aesthetics, are in good shape," said Francis.

- André Lowe