T&T Bidding For 2007 WC Finals

Trinidad and Tobago plans to bid to host as many as six ICC World Cup matches, including the final, when the world's premier ODI tournament comes to the Caribbean in 2007.

The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control (TTCBC) is putting together its own local organizing committee to work with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to plan for the staging of World Cup 2007, according to T&T cricket board boss Alloy Lequay.

"We are interested in hosting the final and will be submitting a strong proposal as to why we should have the final here at the Queen's Park Oval, which has the biggest capacity of all the other Caribbean venues," Lequay said.

The TTCBC plans to propose four matches be held in Trinidad, and two on the island of Tobago. A new modern stadium would be built for the event next to Dwight Yorke Stadium, in Bacolet, Tobago, Lequay disclosed.

Lequay was speaking during the inauguration of new outdoor practice nets at Couva's Cricket Development Center, which was opened just six months ago.

The WICB has made it clear the semi-finals and final of the 2007 World Cup will be staged in countries that fall under under the board's administrative control.

Managing director of Windies World Cup 2007 Inc. Chris Dehring said the WICB policy decision means the three biggest games in the world's biggest tournament "must be played in three of the 14 countries who are an official part of West Indies cricket."

Speculation has been rampant that the board may consider an outside territory, especially the USA because of poor facilities in the Caribbean.