West Indies Count Cost Of Failing The Test

In its first official estimate, the West Indies Cricket Board said over the weekend that it would lose at least $1.5 million (£900,000) from last weeks aborted test match against England in Jamaica, and the losses could be higher if the board has to repay advertisers, contractors and tour operators. The losses from the abandoned match, the first of England's tour, will worsen the already parlous finances of the board, which recorded a loss of $267,038 in the year to September.

The board is likely to face claims from tour operators, mainly in Britain, which sold holidays to Jamaica with the test match as the main attraction.

 

The England and Wales Cricket Board is to discuss compensation with the West Indies board, according to Tim Lamb, chief executive of the ECB. The debacle is almost certain to rob the West Indies board of any chance of success in its effort to stage the World Cup tournament in 2003.

Although South Africa has been selected for the tournament by the International Cricket Conference, the West Indies maintain they should host the competition, based on earlier promises. The West Indies board has started refunding tickets bought for the match. We had anticipated gate receipts of around $400,000 from the five days, said Steve Comacho, chief executive. Now we have to add the cost of putting on the match elsewhere and the refunds on tickets. This is a big blow to West Indies cricket in every way.

The match was abandoned on Thursday after an hour - it should have lasted five days - when officials said the new pitch was unfit for play and dangerous to players. England had lost three batsmen for 17 runs, but several batsmen, particularly Alec Stewart, had been hit repeatedly by balls which behaved erratically after bouncing.

The West Indies board will also have to stand the added cost of changing the tour schedule and adding a match to start on Thursday in Trinidad. The aborted match is also adding to the costs of Trans World International, which is providing live television coverage of the series.

To ease the disappointment of visiting spectators, Percival Patterson, Jamaicas prime minister, hosted a party for the mainly British fans.

The West Indies board could suffer further embarrassment with the tour schedule. An agreement between Guyanas political parties has ended a month of violence in the capital Georgetown, raising hopes that a test match will go ahead there. However, there is still uncertainty whether the Antigua Recreation Ground, which is being renovated, will be ready, although Andy Roberts, the former West Indies fast bowler responsible for the Antigua pitch, said: We will have a very good pitch ready on time.