A World Cup Finance Committee has been formed and will be chaired by John Blair. Two members from the United Cricket Board will be appointed on Wednesday 25 October 2000 when the UCB’s Executive Committee meets. They will join Michael Katz, Khaya Ngqula, Colin Hall and John Blair on the Finance Committee.

Picto Busby was appointed Licensing Agent for Africa for World Cup 2003.

The venues were decided for the 13 “prime” matches of the 2003 Cricket World Cup. These are the nine Super Six matches, the opening match, the two semi-finals and the final. After presentations from six provinces, the 2003 World Cup Policy Committee chaired by Professor Jakes Gerwel decided that all six Test venues in South Africa will host two of these matches on the following basis:

a. Newlands in Cape Town will host the opening match (provisionally scheduled as a Day/Night match on 7 February 2003) as well as one Super Six match. The Committee believe that Newlands is one of the famous grounds in world cricket; the city of Cape Town is the perfect setting for the start of the World Cup and the region has shown very strong support for cricket amongst all its peoples.

b. Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban will host one semi-final and one Super Six match. Kingsmead is also one of the famous grounds in world cricket and is able to stage a successful World Cup semi-final. One of the best grounds in South Africa, Kingsmead has the support of a broad sector of the community. The semi-final will either be a Day match or a Day/Night game.

c. St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth will host one semi-final and one Super Six match. The ground has an extensive cricketing history (the first Test match was played there in 1889) and there is an overwhelming support for cricket by all the different peoples in the area, which is also seen as a strong growth region for cricket. In addition, the Committee felt that important international events in South Africa should not be confined to the major cities and it was also important to spread the game by holding a crucial game in the Eastern Cape. The semi-final in Port Elizabeth will be a Day game.

d. The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, which is one of the premier grounds in world cricket, will host the final (provisionally scheduled as a Day game on 18 March 2003) and a Super Six match.

e. Supersport Park in Centurion and Goodyear Park in Bloemfontein will both host two Super Six matches.

f. Buffalo Park in East London will host one Super Six match. Although this is not a Test venue, the Committee felt it appropriate to allocate a prime match to an area with such strong support for cricket amongst its whole community.

All six Test venues will also host three pool matches - each Test venue will thus host five World Cup 2003 matches.

The Committee reaffirmed that all Zimbabwe’s pool matches would be held in Zimbabwe. The exception is a possible Zimbabwe-South Africa clash, which would be held in South Africa. Zimbabwe will host a minimum of five pool matches (and six if South Africa and Zimbabwe are not in the same pool).

At this point, pool matches have also been guaranteed for Potchefstroom, Pietermaritzburg and Kimberley.

Ian Smith has been appointed Director of Logistical Operations for World Cup 2003 from 1 November 2000. He will be assisted by Zurayda Mohamed.

Diteko Modise will take over as Finance and Administration of the UCB from 1 November 2000.

Dr Ali Bacher
Managing Director
23 October 2000

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