The Daren Sammy Cricket Ground
(DSCG), previously the Beausejour
Cricket Ground, is a cricket ground
located near Gros Islet, Saint Lucia standard
seating capacity of 15,000. It was completed
in 2002 and currently accommodates
13,000 spectators.
Originally named after the Beausejour hills
and situated in the outskirts of Rodney Bay,
the stadium was completed in 2002 and
hosts domestic matches for the Windward
Islands cricket team. It staged its first international
Test match in 2003 against Sri Lanka and became
the first venue in the Caribbean to host a day-night
game.
The sporting facility was constructed on 22 acres
consisting of about 18 hospitality suites and a
pavilion that offers each team its own gym and
lounge apart from a balcony and conference
room. It is located in the driest area of Saint Lucia,
making it most suitable for hosting cricket.
On 21 July 2016, it was formally renamed the DSCG after Daren Sammy who captained the West Indies
side in winning the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 in India.
He also captained the West Indies to victory in the
2012 ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, making him
the second West Indian captain after Clive Lloyd
with multiple ICC world championships. One of the
stands will also be named in honour of Johnson
Charles, who was also part of the side in both 2012
and 2016.
The first international match played at the renamed
ground took place on 9 August 2016, when India
played the West Indies as part of a four-match Test
series.
The stadium is located at the north-eastern end
of the tourist resort of Rodney Bay, approximately
6 minutes drive from the town of Gros Islet on the
scenic Castries-Gros Islet Highway. The stadium is
close to the residential enclaves in Beauséjour and
Epouge Bay.
The DSCG is known for its high standard facilities
and is regarded by the West Indies Cricket Board
as a standard for current and future
venues in the Caribbean. Its outfield, a
perfect oval, is predictably lush green. It
also became the first international ground
in the Caribbean to receive floodlighting
with the installation of 6 floodlight towers
in 2006, enabling the hosting of day/night
matches.
In May 2006 it hosted the first ever
international Day/Night ODI match in the
Caribbean when the West Indies took on
Zimbabwe. Due to the unfavorable time
zone differences between the Caribbean
and the large cricket markets in the far
east international day/night matches
have been few and far between.
The facility has 18 hospitality suites, a
permanent seating capacity of 13,000
with bucket-type seating which can
be increased to 20,000 for international
matches. There are also two artificial
pitches and two turfs for practice and
warm-ups.