St Kitts Cricket Elevated: Warner Park
is Newest International Cricket Venue

ST. KITTS AND NEVIS TO HOST ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL AND TEST MATCH NEXT YEAR AT NEW WARNER PARK GROUNDS

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, SEPTEMBER 2ND 2005 (CUOPM) – President of the West Indies Cricket Board, Ken Gordon announced Friday afternoon, that St. Kitts and Nevis will host a One-Day International and a Test Match next year.

“St. Kitts and Nevis will be holding its first One-Day match on the 24th May 2006 and its first Test Match ever on the 22nd June 2006. So St. Kitts and Nevis has now emerged into one of the Test Playing countries of the world and congratulations are in order,” said Gordon at a Press Briefing following a courtesy call on St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Minister of Sports, Dr. the Hon. Denzil L. Douglas. Mr. Gordon was accompanied by Minister of State in the Ministry of Sports, Sen. the Hon. Richard "Ricky" Skerritt.

Mr. Gordon admitted that the announcement of the two international cricket matches in St. Kitts was being made prematurely, although the formal announcement would have been made after ratification following a meeting on Sunday.

“Prime Minister, I know a great deal of work has gone into this and I know many people have been involved. But clearly your leadership in taking this further has been an important part of it and I congratulate you,” added Gordon, who met privately with Prime Minister Douglas and Minister of State in the Ministry of Sports, Sen. the Richard Skerritt.

An obvious elated Prime Minister Douglas said the staging on the One-Day International and Test Match next year “is a signal event that has come about because of the development that we have made in the preparation for World Cup Cricket 2007.”

“The infrastructural development, the organisation, the planning, that we are doing for 2007 has landed us this very important and historical first international matches,” said Prime Minister Douglas, who used the opportunity to express thanks to Mr. Charles  Wilkin and his Committee and all others who have been working diligently to make Warner Park a test venue.

“I also thank and congratulate Minister Skerritt, who has just come on board, but who has been doing an excellent job in carrying forward the work that has been started  by former Minister of Sports, Ms. Jacinth Henry-Martin,” said the Prime Minister.

Dr. Douglas thanked the Republic of China on Taiwan for financing the upgrade of the cricket facilities at Warner Park “so that there is now a whole world of opportunities that are being opened up for us in cricket and sports generally in St. Kitts and Nevis.”

He called on the general public to continue to support the development initiatives of his St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Government.

Following the meeting between Prime Minister Douglas, Minister Skerritt and Mr. Gordon, the information was officially communicated before the Press Briefing to President of the Leeward Island Cricket Board, Mr. Carlisle Powell; President of the St. Kitts Cricket Association, Mr. Ingleton Liburd; Chairman of World Cup 2007 (St. Kitts and Nevis), Mr. Charles Wilkin and Chief Executive Officer of World Cup 2007 (St. Kitts and Nevis), Mr. Horatio Versailles.

(Photos by Erasmus Williams)

Photo 1: West Indies Cricket Board Chairman, Mr. Ken Gordon (r) making the announcement at Press Conference as an elated Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Denzil L. Douglas looks on

Photo 2: Clockwise) -  Chairman of World Cup 2007 (St. Kitts and Nevis), Mr. Charles Wilkin; Chief Executive Officer of World Cup 2007 (St. Kitts and Nevis), Mr. Horatio Versailles; President of the St. Kitts Cricket Association, Mr. Ingleton Liburd; Minister of State in the Ministry of Sports, Sen. the Hon. Richard "Ricky" Skerritt; St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Minister of Sports, Dr. the Hon. Denzil L. Douglas;  President of the West Indies Cricket Board, Ken Gordon and President of the Leeward Island Cricket Board, Mr. Carlisle Powell.

Related St Kitts Cricket World Cup 2007 Information

St. Kitts and Nevis named as 2007 Cricket World Cup Venue

World Cup St Kitts-Nevis Ltd July 5, 2004 Press Release

SKNIS Press Release on Successful St Kitts Nevis Cricket World Cup Bid

St. Kitts and Nevis Offers Incentives For Cricket World Cup 2007 Accommodation