Above: the pitch this weekend (CJ Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The two Digicel T20 Internationals between the West Indies and New Zealand at the Central Broward Regional Park last week are receiving high praise in the cricket world.

The matches, both of which were won by the West Indies, were the first staged in South Florida.

“We are extremely grateful for the major efforts undertaken by the Friends of Broward County, the United States Cricket Association, as well as Broward County itself,” said West Indies Cricket Board President Dr Julian Hunte. “We have been very impressed with the Central Broward Regional Park.”

Hunte said the two teams felt “extremely welcomed” by the community in South Florida.

“This was a bold expansion of the Digicel 2012 Series beyond the shores of the Caribbean, and we are excited to have brought the game back to the scores of West Indies fans in North America,” he said. “Given the huge number of West Indians who live in the United States and neighbouring [areas], as well as the commercial possibilities both for West Indies cricket and the game, this was long overdue.”

The hope is that the two matches could help spur further interest in cricket in the United States.

“The way fans came out and supported us over the weekend made us feel at home,” said West Indies Captain Darren Sammy. “It felt like we could be in Jamaica or St Lucia — so we can safely say South Florida is ‘home’ for us.”