Kensington
Oval Ready To Host ICC
Cricket World Cup Final 2007
By Hamilton
Barrow, editor
• 02 March 2007
One
major benefit the West Indies will gain from hosting ICC Cricket World
Cup 2007 will be the development of the cricket infrastructure around
the Caribbean. This tournament has come at a time when cricket grounds
needed a major upgrade and with cricket possibly at its lowest ebb
So when
Kensington Oval the Mecca of West Indies cricket submitted a successful
bid to host the finals of the Cricket World Cup, everyone new what a
massive task was at hand. And when in 2005 after 110 years of first
class cricket the ground was close, to start what was an extreme make
over in time for cricket world cup fans waited with baited breath.
After
a year of heavy construction Kensington Oval was reopen on Saturday
February 17th 2007 with a spectacle befitting a cricket ground that has
played host to many magical cricket moments
What fans saw of the new Kensington Oval was nothing short of
miraculous, rebuilt at the monumental cost of 130 million dollars? The
New Kensington Oval stands as a reminder of the commitment of the
government and people of Barbados to a sport and a facility that has
brought Joy and glory to this small Caribbean nation.
The main attraction of the Kensington Oval brand has always been its
rich cricket history. This small intimate cricket ground has been the
home of some of the most legendary cricketers to walk this earth.
Kensington Oval has also been the venue of some of the most magical
moments in cricket history.
One only has to visit the ground and take a look at the names
prominently displayed on each stand and you will be transported into a
place of nostalgia, names such as Garfield Sobers, the 3W’s
Weeks, Worrell and Walcott, Hall and Griffith, Greenidge and Haynes,
Marshall and Garner, all reflect Barbados as a cricketing powerhouse.
One only has to visit the ground and take a look at the names
prominently displayed on each stand and you will be transported into a
place of nostalgia, names such as Garfield Sobers, the 3W’s
Weeks, Worrell and Walcott, Hall and Griffith, Greenidge and Haynes,
Marshall and Garner, all reflect Barbados as a cricketing powerhouse.
As Kensington Oval began a new innings with the Kensington Forever
spectacle, which featured past greats, West Indian fans will hope and
pray that the magnificence of this rebuild cricket venue will inspire
future players to produce more priceless cricket moments such as those
achieved in the past:
- Dennis Atkinson and
Clairmonte Depeiza 1955 match saving stand of 347
for the seventh wicket against an Australian attack, which include Ray
Lindwall, Keith Miller and Richie Benaud.
- The highest Test score at the
Kensington Oval is 337 by Hanif Mohammad
for Pakistan against the West Indies in 1958.
- Lance Gibbs best bowling
figures of 8/38 achieved against India in 1962.
- Lawrence Rowe 302 in 1974
against England describe by the many fans
that saw it as one of the finest innings in cricket history.
- Jeff Thomson fiery spell of
fast bowling in 1978, which accounted for
the wickets of Gordon Greenidge, Viv Richards and Alvin Kallicharan and
won the hearts of the Barbadian fans.
- Michael Holdings best over
ever in 1981 when he tormented Geoff Boycott
with the first five balls and then clean bowled him with the last ball
of that same over to send the bajan crowd into frenzy.
- Curtly Ambrose 8 for 45
against England in 1990 that won the match and
the series for the West Indies.
- Brian Lara majestic match
winning 153 not out against the mighty
Australians in 1999 proclaimed by Wisden to be one of the five greatest
Test innings of all time
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