BASSETERRE (St Kitts), May 23: St Kitts & Nevis' new Warner Park Stadium has become first venue to be completed ahead of Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean next March.

Other venues are behind schedule, including Sabina Park in Jamaica where two one-dayers were played last week.

Warner Park will host Australia, Scotland, South Africa and Holland in World Cup.

West Indies World Cup chief Chris Dehring said: “It is a source of immense pride and joy to us all in the Caribbean and should act as an inspiration for those working on other stadia.”

The delays at Sabina Park led to suggestions that the game's governing body, International Cricket Council (ICC), could ask other neighbouring countries to step in.

The company renovating Sabina Park had asked for matches this year to be called off, but local World Cup organising committee wanted to use India's tour as part its 2007 rehearsals.

Construction firm Ashtrom began the project in January 2005. But it says it has been held up by a lack of cement, which has caused delays at many of grounds being upgraded for World Cup, and labour problems.

However, Dehring insisted all venues will be ready for the tournament. He also predicted that construction of Warner Park would lead to St Kitts & Nevis competing for future international series.—Agencies