Sports

World Cup Cricket Champions, Australia in St. Kitts for Two International Matches vs. The West Indies

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Reinforcing its status as a destination for world class sporting events, St. Kitts will host two One Day International (ODI) Cricket Matches between reigning International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup Champions Australia, and the West Indies on July 4th and 6th, 2008.

These two exciting events in St Kitts will be a fitting climax to what is expected to be another entertaining Australian cricket tour of the Caribbean. The West Indies will be looking to build on the momentum gained in their recent 2 Nil ODI home victory over Sri Lanka.

While the West Indies team will clearly have the local support, Australia will be no less at home on St. Kitts, having played their three first-round Cricket World Cup 2007 matches at the island’s freshly refurbished Warner Park Cricket Stadium one year ago.

Situated in the heart of the historic capital city of Basseterre, the Stadium offers unmatched panoramic views of the harbor, and the mountains of both St Kitts and Nevis. “Warner Park is a very specially designed Caribbean-styled setting for spectator enjoyment in a modern facility,” said Senator Ricky Skerritt, Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, Sports & Culture. “Sports tourism is a niche market for us in the Caribbean, and in St. Kitts we combine the modern tourism infrastructure for the visiting fans and teams, with our island’s natural beauty, rich heritage and welcoming people, to produce a signature blend of cultural and recreational experiences that can only be found on a Caribbean island like St. Kitts.”

In addition to having a life-long passion for sport, Senator Skerritt was the first full-time West Indies Cricket Team Manager from 2000-2004, prior to his St Kitts & Nevis Ministerial appointment. Since taking up political office, the Senator was instrumental in the development of Warner Park and bringing six ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 first round matches to St. Kitts & Nevis, while drawing the attention of his former international sporting colleagues to the impressive assets of St. Kitts & Nevis as a sports tourism destination.

Cricket enthusiasts traveling to see the matches from the US or Canada have the option of flying via a non-stop service to St. Kitts from JFK or MIAMI on American Airlines, or a non-stop weekly US Airways service from Charlotte or via Delta Air Lines’ new non-stop Saturday flights to the island from Atlanta. Travelers to St Kitts from the USA can also use a twice daily connecting service via San Juan on American Eagle.

Australia will begin their 4 Tests and 5 ODI tour of the Caribbean with the first Test Match against the West Indies in Jamaica on May 22nd and end their tour in St. Kitts on July 6th.

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