Parkites CEO: Oval ready for Pakistan T20s

The Queen’s Park Oval will host three T20s between West Indies and Pakistan on March 30, April 1 and April 2.

The last international match at the Oval was a disaster with little play in the Test between West Indies and India last August during the rainy season.

The drainage system at the Oval came under tremendous scrutiny as there were long periods of sunshine in the five days but only 22 overs were possible during the contest.

As a result, the International Cricket Council (ICC) gave the Queen’s Park Oval an official warning, and rated the outfield as “poor.” A repeat offence by Queen’s Park in the next five years will draw a fine not exceeding US$30,000. Mowser, speaking to Newsday, said the club is delighted to host international cricket again and move forward from the India-West Indies Test fiasco which did not shed the institution in the proper light.

Mowser insisted that the India incident was an anomaly and the Parkites are ready to showcase their world class hosting skills once more.

“Absolutely, Queen’s Park is very happy to be awarded three T20s against Pakistan and we hope that everything would be in place to have an outstanding series.

“Serious remedial work was done since the India match, and we hope that it will bear fruit. We have put a lot of work into the field since then, and we expect to have everything back to normal in time for the series,” he said.

Mowser explained that hosting a successful series against Pakistan will create a positive image for the Queen’s Park Oval again.

“I think it is very important that we continue to be the cricket ground that the world has been accustomed too. Certainly we want to move past (the India situation).

We have been here for 125 years, and we hope that we will be here for another 125,” Mowser continued.

The Queen’s Park Oval first hosted an international match in 1930, a Test match between West Indies and England.

Asked whether he believes the Oval is still one of the best venues in the Caribbean, and maybe even the world, Mowser added: “Absolutely, the reasons for the redistribution of games has to do with the number of venues now available in the Caribbean, and the different formats of the game which provides different competitive venues.

But as a Test venue, as an international venue, we are still the leading in the Caribbean and we plan to develop the ground to be able to deliver the best possible product going forward.”