Sold-out crowd expected for Windies' 1st World Cup match in Trinidad

THE ICC T20 World Cup Trinidad and Tobago Local Organising Committee (LOC) is expecting a sold-out crowd at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) on June 12, for the first Group C tie between co-hosts West Indies and New Zealand, from 8.30pm.

Over 12,000 tickets have already been sold for this match, and LOC member Omar Khan believes the BLCA will be filled to its estimated 14,500 capacity. Another tranche of tickets is expected to be available on the morning of June 12.

Khan made this announcement at the T20 World Cup security briefing, at the National Cycling Centre in Couva, on Monday.

“For the West Indies vs New Zealand game, so far, the latest figure we have had is that over 12,000 tickets have been sold,” he said. “They (ICC/Cricket West Indies) may look at releasing some additional tickets on Wednesday morning (June 12) for that game. We expect this game to be fully sold out.”

Khan confirmed there are still “a lot” of tickets on sale for the remaining group matches at BLCA between Afghanistan and Papua New Guinea (June 13), New Zealand versus Uganda (June 14) and New Zealand against Papua New Guinea (June 17). He also believes the June 26 semi-final one will be another sold-out affair.

For the final group match in Trinidad, Khan said the LOC teamed up with the ICC, Cricket West Indies and Ministry of Education, to invite multiple primary and secondary schools across to witness this “legacy event.” Over 5,000 tickets have been distributed to schools for this match.

Additionally, senior members of the protective services urged patrons to use the TT LOC’s Park and Ride facility to access the South venue on Wednesday and for all other T20 World matches here.

The Park and Ride venues are located at the South Park car park in Tarouba and inside the former Petrotrin Gasparillo gate. The designated area in South Park can facilitate 380 vehicles while the latter allows parking for 1,200 vehicles. Patrons are encouraged to carpool.

Patrons can arrive at either of the Park and Ride venues, show their game day ticket, park, take a shuttle to the stadium, view the match and depart the BLCA via shuttle back to either location. Users will be dropped off at the BLCA guard hut for entry into the stadium.

Patrons using the Water Taxi service on Wednesday and 26 are encouraged to use the Parkade in Port of Spain to park. The Water Taxi leaves PoS at 5.30pm and arrives at the south terminal one hour later, where they will be shuttled to BLCA.

“The Water Taxi takes 400 persons so we’ll have transportation to deal with all those persons if we have capacity on game day,” said Col Collin Millington of the TTDF. (See Water Taxi schedule below)

However, those who wish to use other means of transport are encouraged to use a drop-off method since patrons will not be allowed to park on the BLCA compound or along the Brian Lara Boulevard (roadway leading to stadium entrance).

No parking will be permitted along the Gasparillo Bypass road, Palmyra Agricultural Road, BLCA access road, Tarouba Link road and the northbound and southbound shoulders of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway between Corinth and Gasparillo overpass.

Additionally, “A driver shall not drive motor vehicles on the Brian Lara Boulevard and the southbound exit ramp to gain access to the Princes Town/Palmyra area of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway onto the Tarouba Link road.

“Persons wishing to access Palmyra or Princes Town can proceed to the loop, the Solomon Hochoy lay-by loop and turn east (right) onto the Tarouba Link road. The driver shall proceed along Gasparillo bypass road between the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway and Palmyra Agricultural road in an easterly direction only,” said TTPS Snr Supt Brian Soodeen.

The drop-off, for those who do not use the Park and Ride, must be done, “in the vicinity of the Brian Lara Boulevard,” Soodeen added. Members of the TTPS and TT Defence Force, in addition to private security, will be present to guide drivers.

Khan added that part of LOC’s mandate for hosting the T20 World Cup, through its memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ICC, CWI and TT, was to put the Park and Ride in place.

For disabled persons, there will be one 11-seater PTSC vehicle at each location. No coolers and no bottles (of any type) are allowed. The Park and Ride can be used for every match once a patron is in possession of a valid match day ticket or ICC T20 World Cup accreditation.

Acting ACP Kelvern Thompson said their security and traffic plans are in compliance with ICC guidelines and are guided by ICC’s “master security plan.” He reminded patrons that these changes were adopted because the “government and our sporting organisations must comply with certain criteria based on the MOU and host agreements that were signed”.

He said, “International best practice for tournaments like this do not facilitate parking in and around the venue, hence the application of Park and Ride.

“As for the residents (environs of BLCA), a process would have been undertaken by both the Southern Division as well as the LOC in terms of sensitising the residents as to what is happening. Of this week, flyers were being handed out because we are also compliant with the laws of TT regarding the EMA requirements. So that is being done and has been done comprehensively.”

He also reminded ticket holders to read the terms and conditions for entry. ACP Thompson said no firearms will be allowed into the venue.

T20 World Cup Shuttle Schedule – Departure to Stadium

June 12 – 5:30pm to 9pm

June 13 – 6pm to 9:30pm

June 14 – 6pm to 9:30pm

June 17 – 7:30am to 11:30am

June 26 – 5:30pm to 9:30pm

Return Times to Park and Ride venues – From 11pm (night games), from 2pm (day games).

Water Taxi Schedule

June 12 – 5:30pm (Departure PoS); 6:30pm (Arrival San Fernando); 12:30am (Departure San Fernando); 1:30pm (Arrival PoS) – One Trip

June 26 - 5:30pm (Departure PoS); 6:30pm (Arrival San Fernando); 12:30am (Departure San Fernando); 1:30pm (Arrival PoS) – One Trip