BLACKCAPS manager confident over World Cup

BLACKCAPS manager Lindsay Crocker feels the organising committee for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies has put the foundations in place for a successful tournament.

Crocker (pictured, right) was impressed by a presentation by the competition’s organising committee in Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados which will host the Cricket World Cup final.

At the event, team managers were briefed on the progress and development and handed their daily schedules and documents ahead of next year’s showpiece occasion.

Fears over delivery had been voiced when Trinidad’s Brian Lara Stadium was recently removed from the list of host venues after it failed to meet projected deadlines.

Crocker is confident the Caribbean nations will overcome some hurdles and deliver a first-class event after hearing the organisers’ feedback.

He said: “For me, there remains a nagging doubt over venues. While we were assured they will be finished, there remains the issue of the quality of the pitches.

“The ground upgrades will make a big difference to pitch drainage so perhaps the quality of the pitches will improve as a result, but it remains the big unknown.

“Despite the last comment, the tournament seems likely to be a great success in what is a wonderful setting and may well set a very high benchmark for future world cricket events.”

The Cricket World Cup will be shared by nine separate sovereign states, with several other Caribbean islands housing fans, warm-up matches and teams.

This is a logistical situation unprecedented in such global sporting competitions.

But all attendees at the conference backed the hosts to achieve their goal of setting a new standard.

“The organisers have a stated aim of hosting the best World Cup ever. On the basis of what we saw last week, if they can deliver what they showed us, they are on track to achieve that.

“It would be the finest planning I have seen of any event in cricket.

“This glowing view was shared by all managers there, including the Australian and South African managers, each of who have been to two World Cups previously.”

The BLACKCAPS leave for the Caribbean in February following the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series.

The team play warm-up games against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka before open their campaign against England on March 16 (March 17 NZT).