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There are 12 stadiums being used for the World Cup with over 200 million dollars being spent on either building brand new grounds or renovating existing venues The price tag can easily be doubled when the 22 practice venues in the nine countries are considered. Four match venues are hosting warm-up matches, five are hosting six matches, two others - the Beausejour Cricket Ground in St. Lucia and Sabina Park in Jamaica - will stage seven matches including the semifinals, and Kensington Oval in Barbados will also be the venue for seven matches that also include the final on April 28. Many of the venues have been dogged by construction delays.

VIVIAN RICHARDS STADIUM (North Sound, Antigua)

Status: A brand new stadium

Investment: 21 million US dollars

Capacity: 20,000 of which 10,000 will be permanent

Tale of the Track: Unknown, but the host board hopes it offers much more than the ARG which was a notorious featherbed, and saw Brian Lara twice break the world record for the highest individual score in Tests.

KENSINGTON OVAL (Bridgetown, Barbados)

Status: Reconstruction

Investment: 67.5 million dollars

Capacity: 30,000 of which 15,000 will be permanent

Tale of the Track: Unknown, since the pitches had to be shifted 20 metres north east to accommodate the expansion, but a few warm-up matches between local club sides were held to test the surface and it played true.

THREE Ws OVAL

(Cave Hill, Barbados)

Status: Extension

Investment: 5 million dollars

Capacity: 3,500 of which 1,000 will be permanent

Tale of the Track: Easy-paced with predictable bounce.

QUEEN’S PARK STADIUM

(St. George’s, Grenada)

Status: Refurbished

Investment: 40 million dollars

Capacity: 17,000 of which 13,000 will be permanent

Tale of the Track: Easy-paced with predictable bounce.

PROVIDENCE STADIUM

(Providence, Guyana)

Status: New

Investment: 25 million dollars

Capacity: 15,000

Tale of the Track: Unknown, but the host board hopes it offers much more than Bourda, which was notoriously easy-paced.

SABINA PARK

(Kingston, Jamaica)

Status: Refurbished

Investment: 20 million dollars

Capacity: 20,000 of which 16,000 will be permanent

Tale of the Track: Lively with predictable bounce.

TRELAWNY MULTI-PURPOSE STADIUM

(Daniel Town, Jamaica)

Status: New

Investment: 30 million dollars

Capacity: 25,000

Tale of the Track: Unknown, but the host board hopes it can equal the surface at Sabina Park.

WARNER PARK

(Basseterre, St. Kitts)

Status: New

Investment: 8 million dollars

Capacity: 8,000

Tale of the Track: Easy-paced with predictable bounce.

BEAUSEJOUR STADIUM

(Gros Islet, St. Lucia)

Status: Existing

Investment: 16 million dollars

Capacity: 20,000 of which 15,000 will be permanent

Tale of the Track: Easy-paced with predictable bounce.

ARNOS VALE SPORTS COMPLEX

(Arnos Vale, St. Vincent)

Status: Refurbished

Investment: 12 million dollars

Capacity: 15,000

Tale of the Track: The semifinals and the Final of the West Indies limited-overs competition was contested here recently, and the pitches were a bit too lively for this form of cricket, though the authorities will be happy they are much faster than what previously obtained.

QUEEN’S PARK OVAL

(Port-of-Spain, Trinidad)

Status: Refurbished

Investment: 15 million dollars

Capacity: 20,000

Tale of the Track: Easy-paced with variable bounce.

FRANK WORRELL SPORTS COMPLEX

(St. Augustine, Trinidad)

Status: Existing

Capacity: Four thousand temporary seats

Tale of the Track: Easy-paced with low bounce.
Source:The News