Elton Tucker, Assiant Sport Editor

Michael Hall, director of cricket operations, ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies Inc. - file

TEAMS FOR for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 will start arriving in Montego Bay on March 1, Michael Hall, director of cricket operations for ICC CWC West Indies, said on Monday.

Four teams will fly into Montego Bay between March 1 and 2. These are the four in the Jamaica warm-up group which will comprise the West Indies, the Netherlands, Kenya and India.

"Beginning on March 9, other teams that were playing warm-up matches around the region will start arriving. Six teams will come in on March 9 and the other six on March 10. Thus, by the evening of March 10 all 16, competing teams will be in Montego Bay," Hall said.

The West Indies will play two warm-up matches before the March 11 opening ceremony. They will first oppose Kenya on March 5 then India on March 9. Both games will be played at the newly built Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium. Two other matches, both involving the Netherlands, will be played at the same venue. The Dutch team will oppose India on March 6 and Kenya two days later.

Hall, who has overall responsibility for practice and match venues throughout the region, said work was now being done to get Jarrett Park in Montego Bay and other practice venues ready for sessions in early March.

"Jarrett Park was supposed to be handed over to the Local Organising Committee (LOC) on January 1, but there were some issues and an extension was granted until January 16. The park, as I understand, is now closed and has been handed over to the LOC and work is proceeding at a frantic pace to make sure that it is ready for the practice sessions in early March," Hall said.

Jarrett Park and the St. Ann Bauxite Ground, formerly known as Kaiser Sports Club, are the practice venues for the warm-up matches at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium.

Hall said the two practice venues for the group matches at Sabina Park, Kensington Park and Chedwin Park, were inspected last November by a team from the ICC.

"Certain things were asked to be done at both venues to ensure their readiness for practice sessions in mid-March to the end of March when the group matches are in Kingston. ... We are confident that the authorities will ensure that both venues are ready, " Hall added.

The final tour of venues before the World Cup will take place next Tuesday and Wednesday, January 30 and 31.