Sir Frank Worrell replaces Lara for warm-up match

PORT-OF-SPAIN: The Sir Frank Worrell Oval at the St. Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago has been chosen to replace Brian Lara Cricket Academy as a warm-up venue for next year's ICC Cricket World Cup.

Canada, Ireland, Pakistan and South Africa will play a four-match series of warm-up games at the ground from March 5 to 9 next year, ahead of the start of the tournament on March 13, 2007.

Trinidad and Tobago's Minister of Sport Roger Boynes also disclosed that St Mary's College grounds will now be utilised as a practice venue for ICC CWC 2007; the purpose for which the Sir Frank Worrell Oval was originally intended.

The decision means that two UWI campuses - Cave Hill's and 3 Ws Oval in Barbados being the other - will now host warm-up matches for the event.

ICC CWC 2007 Venue Development Director Donald Lockerbie said CWC 2007 was fully satisfied with the contingency arrangements and expected that "the UWI ground will be prepared to the required world-class standard".

The venue will be upgraded with a combination of legacy and overlay infrastructure and the ICC CWC 2007 Sports Agronomy Team (SAT) will conduct the necessary tests and inspections of the pitch and outfield.