NEW YORK CITY, (CMC) – Organisers of the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup in the United States said they have crossed an important hurdle in preparation for the hosting of matches in the global showpiece this June.
The sport’s world organising body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), announced on Wednesday that the installation of four drop-in pitches at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium (NCICS) had started and described the development as a “crucial phase of construction” of the modular facility.
According to an ICC news release, 10 drop-in pitches – the type used around the world including at Adelaide Oval in Australia and Eden Park in New Zealand – were curated since late December in the American state of Florida.
They were transported by road to the venue via a convoy of more than 20 semi-trailer trucks, and they were now being laid after the work on the outfield was completed last week.
“The installation of these pitches is one of the final pieces in a project that is unprecedented in international cricket,” ICC head of events, Chris Tetley said.
“We have taken a considered and well-planned approach to this project, using the very best in the business in Damian Hough to ensure we have the best possible playing surface for eight World Cup matches in New York.”
He added: “T20 as a format was an innovation in its time to bring the sport of cricket to a new and expanded audience.
“This innovative strategy, to bring the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 to the United States, with a temporary venue and a pitch that has its founding on the other side of the globe, is truly ground-breaking, and I can’t wait to see the world’s best compete this June in Nassau County.”
The drop-in pitches were prepared employing proprietary techniques honed over a decade at the iconic Adelaide Oval, led by Hough, its head curator.
The pitches, cultivated with native Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass, were meticulously nurtured by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions and the United States-based sports turf experts, LandTek Group, undergoing continuous care and maintenance over the past three months.
“We are excited to see the arrival of the pitches in New York,” Hough said. “Florida proved to be the ideal nursery for the pitches with good weather, and working alongside great partners like LandTek has been fantastic and everything is coming together as it should.
“We’re now focused on bedding in the pitches in New York to ensure we’re delivering an end-product of the highest quality.
“The games in New York are a great platform for us to showcase our abilities to a global audience. It’s certainly a massive thrill for everyone at Adelaide Oval to be involved in such a huge event.”
The other six drop-in pitches have been designated for neighbouring practice facilities, and the Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions team will remain in New York to assist local grounds crews in pitch maintenance throughout the World Cup to ensure the consistency of the pitches for the matches.
The matches at NCICS will take place at a 34 000-seat modular stadium located at Eisenhower Park in Nassau County, east of Manhattan.
It is one of three venues being used in the country with the Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida, and the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Dallas in the state of Texas also scheduled to stage matches.
Nine teams will feature in the matches at the NCICS, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Canada, Ireland, Bangladesh, South Africa, The Netherlands, and hosts United States.
The first tournament match at the NCICS takes place between 2014 champions Sri Lanka and South Africa on June 3.
