\n<\/p>\n
The jewel in the crown for the International Cricket Council (ICC)\u2019s American dream for this World Cup is the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.<\/p>\n
There is no doubt the sparkling ground set in the tranquil surrounds of leafy Eisenhower Park, named after the 34th US president, is an eye-catching construction. Albeit a temporary one.<\/p>\n
To have pulled everything together in a short timeframe for the tournament is a commendable achievement as the ICC takes steps to popularise the game in the United States.<\/p>\n
A crowd of 12,562 watched a historic first World Cup game in New York and, despite the intense security presence,<\/a> fans \u2013 most of whom were from the Sri Lanka diaspora \u2013 reported few issues gaining entry.<\/p>\n Rarely were those supporters roused to their feet by what they saw in the middle, though, in what was a spectacle lacking the kind of dazzling strokeplay that could prick the interest of any potential converts to the game.<\/p>\n The largely ponderous nature of the contest has inevitably placed scrutiny on the drop-in pitches being used for the eight fixtures being played here.<\/p>\n They were grown in Australia and brought over by ship to Florida before being transported by truck and bedded in by Adelaide Oval groundperson Damian Hough and his team.<\/p>\n