Roseau, Dominica: Oscar George, Dominican Minister of Youth, sports and community development, stated that Dominica has invested over one million$ ahead of India’s tour of the West Indies. The first test match of this series is undergoing in Dominica at Windsor Park stadium and will continue from July 12 to 16.
The Minister stated that the Dominican government knew that hosting a cricket event was expensive. He said, “We have invested slightly over $1 million in this entire cricket operation. The bid fee was $250 000, which we provided. Cricket tournaments are challenging to host, especially for small islands like Dominica.
He claimed that in order to ensure the smooth operation of games, the government has also updated the sports infrastructure. “We have spent $212 000 in order to ensure that we upgrade the player’s pavilion, and we did some upgrades to the old field,” he claimed.
During his remarks, Sports and Youth Minister also thanked the ground personnel for their dedication in helping to prepare the pitch for the games and guarantee that “We have the best product at the end of the day,” he said.
Minister George also spoke with the players from both teams, confirming that that they must enjoy their time on the island. The Indian squad, also known as ‘Men in Blue’, appreciated him for the kind welcome and hospitality they received on Nature island of the Caribbean.
Additionally, Sports Minister Oscar George urged CWI to organize more matches in Dominica, including games from all formats like ODI and T20. He expressed disappointment that Dominica only gets one test match rather than a single game from other formats. During this tour, three ODIs and four T20s will be played.
Minister George also highlighted that Alick Athanaze, the Dominican youngster, is set to play his first test match. His hard work and dedication sealed a spot for him in the West Indies cricket team, and Entire of Dominica is proud of his achievement and expects a good performance from him.
Minister George asserted that the Cricket West Indies management decided to give the Dominican youngster the opportunity he deserved because he represented the West Indies at the Youth World Cup and scored the most runs.