July 11th is a public holiday for one-day cricket New Zealand vs West Indies

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS,JUNE 18TH 2012 (CUOPM) – July11th – the date for the first One-day International cricket match between the West Indies and New Zealand at the Warner Park Cricket Stadium has been declared a holiday.

Minister of Information, Senator the Hon. Nigel Carty said Monday Cabinet has agreed to the request submitted by Minister of Sports and Youth Empowerment, the Hon. Glen Phillip.

St. Kitts Warner Park Cricket Ground

Three one-day matches will be played in St. Kitts between July 11th and 16th. The dates are July 11th, July 14th and July 16th.

“The Hon. Minister (Phillip) submitted that the growing number of international sporting events taking place in St. Kitts and Nevis augurs well for the social and economic development of our country and was strongly of the view that the declaration of July 11, the date of the first One Day International (ODI) Cricket match, as a public holiday should serve to boost the attendance of young people, in particular, and cricket fans, more generally, at the cricket matches,” said Minister Carty.

“Mr. Phillip is of the view that ODI matches between the West Indies and New Zealand held here should achieve the goal of heightening the interest in the traditional sport among our young people, and long-term improving our performance at all levels in the sport of Cricket,” said Minister Carty.

Mr. Phillip informed Cabinet that the request to have July 11 declared a public holiday has been supported by the Management Committee of the St. Kitts Cricket Association, the St. Kitts and

Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce and a wide cross-section of the cricket-loving public.

New Zealand tour of West Indies 2012 will begin on Saturday, June 30, 2012 and will consist of 2 Twenty20, 5 ODI and 3 Test matches to be hosted by West Indies in Jun-Aug 2012.