PORT-OF-SPAIN (Trinidad Express):

CEO of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 Local Organising Committee (LOC), Anand Daniel, admits that inclement weather and unforeseen delays in the delivery of steel have seen the Brian Lara Stadium go behind schedule ahead of the event scheduled to bowl off in March next year.

But the top LOC official insisted that this country would make every effort to make up for lost time.

When the Ministry of Sport was contacted for comment last Thursday, they said a statement would be made on the Lara Stadium, scheduled to be built in Tarouba, following a meeting with contractors and the Urban Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago this week.

But in response to a report, published Wednesday by ICC World Cup director Don Lockerbie, stating that there were concerns about the readiness of the Brian Lara Stadium, Daniel said that the ground would be ready.

Alternative proposal

"The steel has not arrived to date," Daniel said about the goods that were scheduled to arrive back in July, "but we have made an alternative proposal to the ICC in terms of a temporary structure that could ensure that the warm-up matches are held in T&T."

The ICC inspectors will visit T&T on September 7 to get an update and then return on November 30 when the thumbs-up or thumbs-down decision will be made.

The Lara Stadium received a 'Red' rating the last time the ICC venue assessment officials visited and its status has not improved.

The venue will be used to host warm-up matches involving Pakistan, South Africa, Canada and Scotland in January and February next year.