Guillen defends drainage at Queen’s Park

The match ended in a no result when play was called off yesterday at 1.45 pm without a ball being bowled on the fourth and final day. No play was possible due to rain on Friday’s opening day, 57 overs were bowled on Saturday and 35 overs on Sunday. TT were 287 for eight when the match was called off.

Questions were being asked if the drainage is still a concern at the Queen’s Park Oval because there were long periods of sunshine during the match.

In August only 22 overs were bowled in the fourth Test match between the West Indies and India at the Queen’s Park Oval due to a wet outfield despite long periods of sun during that contest also. Guillen said QPCC have recently put measures in place to improve the drainage system at the ground and believes more cricket could have been played between TT and the Leewards. He stated, “I think the ground is fit to play. The ground at the moment is 100 percent fit. We’ve done everything we’ve been asked to do, we widened the drainage around the ground, we’ve put more sand on the ground, nothing is wrong with the drainage. Nothing is wrong with the ground today (yesterday) that cricket could not be played.” Guillen explained that the rules have changed when calling off a match.

“The rules have changed, whereby the umpires are the ones who decide whether to play or not.

Usually what would happen is umpires would come in and tell the captains ‘Listen in my opinion the ground is not fit to play, if you all wish to play we can play.’ Now the captains have no say whatsoever. The game is controlled by the umpires.

In my opinion that ground is fit to play.” Coach of the TT Red Force Gus Logie expressed his disappointment that more cricket was not played. Logie said, “This is a facility that has been brilliant over the years for many, many teams coming here. We’ve always enjoyed playing here at the Queen’s Park Oval.” Logie said the drainage at the Queen’s Park Oval is normally good so it is unfortunate. “It’s disappointing for all of us to see what happened.

I think they (QPCC) know they have some work to do. We played here a few years ago in the Super50 when rain fell (and) in a matter of 15, 20 minutes you were out there playing again.

It’s really disappointing to see, but I guess the umpires in their own wisdom, the safety of the players is always going to be paramount.”