Christchurch well placed for Cricket World Cup

Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman has today inspected Hagley Oval and met with tournament organisers ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup.

“Hagley Oval has undergone a huge transformation in recent weeks to make the grounds match-fit for the opening game. It is a credit to the tournament organisers and the wider team around them,” says Dr Coleman.

Hagley Oval will host the tournament’s first match, Black Caps v Sri Lanka, on 14 February. It is the first of three matches to be played on the grounds.

11,500 temporary seats have been installed, lifting capacity to 18,500, and two hospitality marquees have been erected.

To help accommodate over 1,000 accredited international media broadcast towers and additional studios, sightscreens, camera platforms, a press box and a video screen platform have been installed at the grounds.

While in Christchurch, Dr Coleman reviewed the plans for the tournament’s opening ceremony to be held on 12 February at North Hagley Park.

“The opening ceremony is set to be a uniquely New Zealand welcome for players and fans. With a television audience of over a billion people it is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Christchurch to the world,” says Dr Coleman.

“It is a great opportunity for Cantabrians to embrace the ICC Cricket World Cup as their city takes centre stage in what will be a magnificent global sporting event.”