By Dexter Theodore
On Wednesday 10th May 2006 at 1.30 p.m. I drove, with some trepidation, into the make-shift car-park at Rodney Bay which the Saint Lucian cricketing authorities had colourfully dubbed the Rodney Bay “Park & Ride” carpark. It was the local Cricket World Cup committee's latest stratagem to address the nightmarish traffic-management issues which had marred international matches played at the ultra-modern Beausejour Cricket Ground at Gros Islet in Saint Lucia.
Suitably re-assured by the presence of uniformed policemen directing traffic, I parked my vehicle, grabbed my binoculars, transistor and seat-cushion, hurried over to the ticket booth, paid my twenty bucks, climbed into the waiting 14-seater and settled down for my short commute to the ground.
I noted, with approval, that the Beausejour Road had been re-paved. “The road was only paved last night” a helpful fellow-passenger informed us all. Very soon we were at the Stadium, compliments the recently constructed ring-road which had won such high praise from Don Lockerbie, the World Cup's Venue Director on his visit here last week.
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat, but they were soon in trouble at 6 for 1 after Lara gobbled up Rinke at first slip off Jerome Taylor for a duck. Duffin and B. Taylor responded well and added 36 for the second wicket before Taylor was dismissed for 21. Although Duffin soldiered on bravely to score 38 before being brilliantly run out by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdi's direct hit and Strydom bludgeoned his way to an enterprising 48, the rest of the team folded around them and Zimbabwe were all out for 152 off 49.2 overs. Debutant Dave Mohammed, chinaman/googled his way to 3 for 37. Dwayne Bravo, ever reliable, grabbed 3 for 24 and Jerome Taylor chipped in with 2 wickets.
During the dinner break, fans were entertained by a gyrating female calypsonian who so mesmerised the patrons that many scarcely realised when the historic moment came shortly before 6.00 p.m when the floodlights were switched on for the first time in a One Day International in the Caribbean.
When the West Indian openers strode out to bat in that twilight that exists moments before the lights “take” a few hearts must have fluttered as it is well-known that picking up the ball is most difficult at that time. But all things considered 152 never looked like being nearly enough on the placid Beausejour pitch, and so it proved. Sewnarine Chattergoon (54), who was playing in just his second One Day International and established opener and man-of-the-match, Chris Gayle (95) mauled the Zimbabwe attack, hitting boundaries seemingly at will, as the West Indies raced to 156 without loss in the twenty-eighth over.
The traffic management plans of the authorities met their sternest test as the fans streamed out of the stadium after the match. Many grumbled that the walk to the pick-up point was too long and there was some confusion when we got there as patrons scrambled to differentiate the shuttles which would return them to their parked vehicles from the others which served the neighbouring communities. However, it was nothing like the debacle of 2002, when the BCG hosted its first international fixture, and it took all of three hours to exit the venue. This time I was at the Park & Ride carpark about an hour after the match ended. With a little better organisation at the pick-up zone this time could have been considerably reduced.
No doubt the necessary adjustments will be made as Saint Lucia fine-tunes its preparations for the Cricket World Cup next year.
