Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
February 20, 2008
The Marylebone Cricket Club returns to St. Kitts and Nevis next month, a sign of the continued strengthening of the relationship with the twin-island Federation and it’s budding sports tourism industry.
Young cricketers from the MCC ““ the world’s most famous cricket club ““ visited the island in March 2007 to conduct their preseason tour. Head Coach Clive Radley summed up the tour as successful and had high praise for local officials, particularly persons from the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture who coordinated the visit and schedule for the team.
The tour went so well that members of the MCC senior team are visiting this time around. The team will spend March 17 and 31 playing against national teams from St. Kitts and from Nevis, touring the Federation and building friendships. Director of Sports Dave Connor told SKNIS that in addition to these activities, the approximately 30-man visiting group will host coaching and umpiring sessions for local officials.
Connor said that his ministry is extremely excited to host the prestigious MCC team which was founded in 1787. He noted that the many attractions on island including the sporting facilities, infrastructural development and friendliness of the island are the main ingredients of the sports tourism policy which attracted 1,800 visiting athletes, coaches and officials last year. A large number of spectators also flocked to the island to enjoy the contests.