AFTER being the first person to uplift a ticket for Guyana’s leg of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Digicel home series against Pakistan, president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Chetram Singh, told a media gathering his Board is ready to host the Pakistanis.
“We are prepared and ready to host both Pakistan and the West Indies for their limited overs and Test match at the Guyana National Stadium, while the Pakistanis will oppose a Guyana President’s XI in a two-day fixture at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground.
“We have held meetings with the relevant security personnel, while another spot meeting will be held at the national stadium next Tuesday at 10:00 h, where we will be discussing the number of Police officers needed for the one-day and the Test match, as well as their strategic locations at the venue, which means security will be tight,” said Singh.
The long-serving WICB director who has been at the helm of Guyana’s cricket for close to two decades said such measures must be put in place since the Pakistanis, who arrived in the Caribbean yesterday, have requested same, based on the situation back home. The WICB has complied and asked the various territorial boards to do the same.
Singh also took the time to identify the practice venues during the Guyana leg of the tour, with Everest Cricket Club and the Police Sports Club being identified along with the national stadium, while the GCC ground would be available after the two-day practice match.
“Spectators desirous of witnessing the teams – who will arrive on a chartered flight at 14:35 h on Tuesday, May 3 –   practise, are invited to do so but must be warned that a special area will be set up from which they can view the practice.
“For example, when the practice sessions are being held at the GCC ground, the Rohan Kanhai stand will be used while at the Police Sports Club ground, the players’ pavilion will be available for the public to use, but be reminded that security measures will be enforced during this period as well.”
The GCB head, who was flanked by his secretary Anand Sanasie, Public Relations Officer Terry Holder, Marketing Officer Ramsay Ali and Cricket Development Officer Reon King, said admission to the GCC ground for the two-day practice match on May 8 and 9 will be free, with the Rohan Kanhai stand being used to accommodate the spectators.
Meanwhile, the WICB’s ‘Did you live it? Win Tickets!” promotion has touched down in Guyana, with persons who were born before the June 24 1954, being eligible to win two free tickets to a match of their choice.
Persons showing a date of birth from June 24 to June 29, 1950, can win for themselves 10 free tickets to the match of their choice, with Singh saying the matches must either be the limited overs or Test match that is being played in the host country, with entrants being required to show proof of age.
“This promotion will be run on a first come, first serve basis, since the WICB has electronically cut off the number of tickets that will be given away freely in this promotion for each host country, so as to avoid any confusion.
This promotion is open to all legal residents of the Caribbean who were born on or before the date of the West Indies’ historical 3-1 victory over England in June of 1950,” stated Singh.
According to both King and Ali, two secondary schools namely Tucville and South Ruimveldt, along with St Pius and Enterprise primary schools will be awarded a total of 1 200 tickets for students under the age of 16, as stipulated by the WICB.
‘With there not being the stipulated amount of students in those schools, a cricket-based competition will be held to facilitate the distribution of the number of tickets as stipulated by the WICB,” said Ali.
Ali also took the time to notify the media of a GCB’s proposal that was accepted by the WICB, with regard to the marketing of the limited overs and Test matches.
“We have submitted a proposal that was accepted by the WICB, with regard to marketing the matches here. Digicel will also be doing a promotion on the matchers separately, while a section of the party mound has been leased to a private promotional group, who will be selling all-inclusive packages to individuals, while they will be having live performances by artistes,” said Ali.
Ali, who is also the second vice- president of GCC, said his executives met with King who highlighted certain issues that needed to be addressed.
“Our meeting with the GCB’s CDO saw certain issues being raised with regard to the club and the upcoming two-day practice match involving Pakistan and the Guyana President’s XI.
Most of the dressing room, outfield, drainage, scoreboards and even spectators’ accommodation issues have been addressed and rectified, but the scoreboard which would cost us $1.5M to repair and cannot be done due to the time factor is the lone one unattended,” said Ali.
He further pointed out that all three beverage companies operating in Guyana, namely Banks DIH, Demerara Distillers Limited and Ansa McAl, along with the usual concessionary service providers such as M&M, have been accredited by the GCB to operate at the Guyana National Stadium during the limited overs game  and the  Test match.
Tickets for these matches go on sale at the GCB’s office from Monday, with patrons being asked to pay $3 000, $2 500, $1 500 and $1 000 to enter either the Green, Red, Orange or Party Mound Stands on Thursday May 5 for the fifth and final limited overs match.
For the Test match, tickets for the Green Stand will be sold at $1 500 per day or $5 600 for the five days, $1 000 per day or $3 800 for the five days for the Red Stand, $500 per day or $1 800 for five days for the Orange Stand, while entrance to the Party Mound will be $500 per day, with all prices being VAT inclusive.