Sabina Park Not Perfect

Reports & previews

Cricket365
March 13, 2007

The West Indies and Pakistan were forced to move their final practice sessions to the Kensington Oval in Kingston on Monday.

The West Indies and Pakistan were forced to move their final practice sessions to the Kensington Oval in Kingston after the facilities at Sabina Park were not ready.

The two sides meet in the opening match of the Cricket World Cup. The hosts will be hoping to gather momentum from the start with a clinical performance against a side that has had its fair share of controversy over the past year.

Former West Indian fast bowler, Andy Roberts, a pitch consultant for the World Cup believes the opening match will go ahead as scheduled despite the nets being used as a dumping ground during renovations.

"It is something that should never have happened but at this late stage there is no point trying to rush them for these games," Roberts told Reuters. "What we need to do now is make sure they [the nets] are ready for the semi-finals. In fact, they will be ready for the semi-finals but there won't be much grass on them."

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will investigate the matter further.

"If you're asking why it's happened you're talking to the wrong man. We would rather practice on good facilities than facilities that are not ready," added Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer.