MONTEGO BAY, St James — Jarrett Park’s preparation for tomorrow’s start of the 2010 West Indies Cricket Board’s four-day first-class game between Trinidad and Tobago and the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) was “badly affected by the poor weather” conditions at the start of the week, but should be ready for the start of play.

Adrian Grant, who is in charge of the preparation of the venue, told the Observer yesterday that they were hoping for “some sun to continue drying out the pitch” and says the worst-case scenario would be “some moisture in the pitch”.

When the Observer visited the park yesterday, workmen were seen rolling the pitch and doing other work on the square, as well as the outfield.

Western Jamaica, and Montego Bay in particular, has been affected by overcast skies for the past three or four days and rain between Monday and yesterday.

Grant said the pitch had been covered throughout the period, but there “was some sweating” under it and he was hoping for some sunshine to help with the drying out.

Prior to the rain on Monday he said they were “one full day ahead of schedule” in the preparation, so the two days lost means they are just a day behind now.

This should not be a problem, he promised, saying the team was “doubling up our efforts” and was prepared to work through Wednesday night and all of Thursday to ensure the pitch was in “top condition” for the start of play Friday morning.

Grant told the Observer he was not expecting any delay to the start of play on Friday.

He, however, gave the outfield the thumbs up, reporting that it was ready for the four-day game.