29 December 2021 | Cricket

The Baby Cricket Cranes could face South Africa and India at the U19 World Cup without fans after the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the event met a week ago.

The pair of games will be played on dual-island Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) which is currently locked down to spectators at sports events.

According to the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Douglas Camacho, fans may not be allowed next month due to COVID 19 restrictions for the T&T leg of matches.

However, there could be an opening if the country's Prime Minister, (Dr Keith Rowley) opens up before the tournament starts on 14th January.

"At this stage, no spectators will be allowed," Camacho told Guardian Media Sports.

"If between now and when the tournament happens, we open up and we're hoping the next time an official update is given to the country by the Prime Minister, (Dr Keith Rowley) maybe we will hear that team sport is allowed to participate in a controlled environment where we make the venues - selected venues of course - safe zones where they will be allowed in and if that is the case and if spectators are allowed as a proportion of the crowd with the necessary social distancing then we would have. Otherwise, at this stage, the reality is there will be no spectators."

Cricket West Indies (CWI) had announced that there will be free entry to watch all the Under-19 World Cup matches across the region but T&T could be an exception.

Multiple venues across T&T will be used for 22 matches (10 group and 12 Plate matches), and training that is to say; the Queen’s Park Oval, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Diego Martin Sporting Complex, National Cricket Centre and the Sir Frank Worrell Ground at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine.

16 teams will play 64 matches in the tournament with Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana and St Kitts and Nevis also hosting matches.

The 14th edition of the tournament to be staged in the West Indies will run from January 14 to February 5. 16 warm-up matches will take place between 9 and 12 January in St Kitts and Nevis and Guyana.

ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup Groups:

Group A - Bangladesh, England, Canada, United Arab Emirates

Group B - India, Ireland, South Africa, Uganda

Group C - Afghanistan, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe

Group D - Australia, Scotland, Sri Lanka, West Indies

Baby Cricket Cranes Schedule pending progression to the Plate League or Super League;

15 January 2022 | 17:00 (EAT) Ireland vs Uganda | Venue: Everest Cricket Club, Guyana

18 January 2022 | 17:00 (EAT) South Africa vs Uganda | Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago

22 January 2022 | 17:00 (EAT) India vs Uganda | Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago

Recent Comments