Bryan promises successful World T20
TOURNAMENT director of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty20 World Cup West Indies 2010, Robert Bryan, says all measures have been taken to ensure the championship is a success.
He was speaking yesterday before members of the Policy Committee left the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel for their ‘Bring It’ promotional bus tour to Manor Park in upper St Andrew.
“My role on behalf of the WICB (West Indies Cricket Board) is to ensure that the tournament is run in keeping with what is required for international tournaments of this sort. We have to stick to the agreements between the ICC and the WICB and that means getting the venues ready, preparing for teams to arrive,” he said
“We have to design all the logistics and operational things for the events and ultimately, ensure that everything is world-class,” he added.
The event runs from April 30 through to May 16 in host countries Guyana, St Lucia, Barbados and St Kitts. India won the inaugural tournament in South Africa in 2007, while Pakistan stunned the cricketing world with victory in England approximately 10 months ago.
It is scheduled to run parallel with the female event, with the men’s semi-finals and final being preceded by the semi-finals and final from the women’s event.
Bryan was the man who headed Jamaica’s Organising Committee during their hosting of matches in the 2007 World Cup and many believe a creditable performance back then did no harm to his reputation.
Said he: “It’s good I’m getting a second chance (at organising a major international event). Not many people can say that they have worked at a very high level in organising two world events.”
The general perception coming from that tournament in 2007 was that strict ICC regulations hampered the West Indian fans from putting their own culture and flair on show. Bryan promises that the World Twenty20 will be significantly different.
“The idea behind Bring It is to encourage people to bring the positiveness, bring the fun, the entertainment and the excitement. We want to counter the perception of (World Cup) 2007, which was more focussed on what you couldn’t bring. This one is going to be one dynamite of a tournament,” he added.
Committee member and Jamaica Cricket Association president Paul Campbell told the Observer that he is certain the tournament will be a success.
“… We are confident that at the end of the day success is written all over the World Twenty20 2010. Our job is to ensure that we deliver a world-class event and we have done an excellent job as a group and with the diverse knowledge and background (of the committee) we have done a wonderful job,” said Campbell, who is also a WICB director.
Bryan revealed that a lack of rain in the host countries has been of concern to the committee.
“The final inspection in January essentially passed all the venues. We are a little concerned about the drought in the Caribbean so we want it to rain now and then hold up for about 20 days when the tournament starts,” he quipped.