Caribbean well-placed to host Women’s World T20 – ICC official

– collective approached needed to market event

By Clifton Ross

Simon Jelowitz, the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Senior Event Operations Manager says the Caribbean venues look in good shape to host a spectacular Women’s World T20 set for November 2018.

Jelowitz and his inspection team, comprised of event operations, broadcast and media personnel met with the officials of Cricket West Indies (CWI) earlier this month in Antigua regarding the inspections.
The team inspected eleven venues across eight Caribbean countries in a twelve-day span with Guyana’s National Stadium at Providence being their fourth stop.
Jelowitz told Guyana Times Sport on his visit it is important for nations to show how they intent on marketing the event, adding that overall he believes the Caribbean is ready for the premier Women’s T20 tourney.
“Well I think we need to work in tandem with CWI and the countries. We want to find countries who will show us in their bid document how they plan on marketing Women’s cricket. But we all have a job to do and that’s to ensure we promote Women’s cricket”, stated the ICC official
Regarding his overall thoughts on the possibility of a brilliant tournament hosted by the West Indies, the Operations Manager said, “I think the Caribbean is really, really well placed to host the T20 and we want to work with boards and countries that will help to get people out to come out and enjoy this wonderful cricket”.
With the inspection concluded Jelowitz explained CWI will now make a recommendation to the ICC regarding the countries they believe fit the necessary requirements for the hosting of the competition; based on the objectives shared by the inspection team.
Built back in 2007 ahead of the 50 over World Cup, Providence has a capacity of 15,000 and has had matches in the 2010 World T20. Jelowitz confirmed that the team was happy with the inspections conducted at Providence and they were just looking to carry out precise assessments of the respective venues.
Other venues visited by the ICC inspection team included; Sabina Park in Jamaica, National Cricket Stadium in Grenada, Queen’s Park Oval and Brian Lara Cricket Ground in Trinidad, National Cricket Stadium in Guyana, Three W’s Oval and Kensington Oval in Barbados, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia, Warner Park in St. Kitts, and Vivian Richards Cricket Ground and Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
The reigning T20 champs are the West Indies women.