Queen's Park Oval one of the best grounds

The Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad where the Group B matches between Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Bermuda were played is one of the loveliest playing fields in the Caribbean.

It is one of the oldest, largest and most famous international venues. Since 1896, it has been the home of Queen's Park Cricket Club.

The first Test was played on this ground in 1930, although it has hosted England teams touring the West Indies even as early as 1897.

The Queen's Park Oval has undergone refurbishment because of the World Cup and the stands that surround the playing area sports a variety of names of famous players of the past, sponsors, but the most enduring is the Trini Posse Stand, the official party stand. Three new grandstands have been built and the ground now looks a picture.

The famous son of Queen's Park Cricket Club is Sir Learie Constantine. Constantine would mean nothing to the present cricketing generation. But he was a master craftsman with the bat and would send the ball at jet speed with his superb timing and beautiful stroke-play. He has a stand in his honour.

Incidentally Constantine came to Sri Lanka on a coaching assignment in the early 1950s. He toured most of the schools in Sri Lanka and I had the honour of being shown how by the great man when he came to St. Benedict's College.

Other famous cricketers to play for the West Indies who came from QPCC were Derryck Murray, the wicketkeeper who was in the team when the Windies dominated the game.

Then there was Larry Gomes, Bernard Julian, Joey Carew and Inshan Ali to name a few. The Jeffrey Stolmeyer and Gerry Gomes stands are imposing.

Colourful show

The crucial game between Sri Lanka and India on Friday drew the biggest crowd to

Queen's Park.

From early morning cricket fans were pouring in and local organisers put on show colourful events welcoming the spectators.

The atmosphere outside and inside the ground was carnival.

Characters were dressed in Calypso costumes, that showcased various national flags. We also saw some 'spectators in mime' who were seated in a frozen position.

The Steel Bands for which the Windies are famous for was there. But what caught the eye were the Tsar dances doing their things and showing of their long and level slender and well-maintained legs.

Many Sri Lankans from the surrounding countries and some from Canada and America were shouting themselves encouraging the cricketers who did not let them down.

The fans were singing the perennial Sinhala numbers with Surangani...Surangani...

being the top hit. I was surprised when one fan in the crowd shouted, "Rodrigopulle, Lankawa naggala liyapang." Even after the game, three Lankans were singing and dancing on the roads surrounding the ground.