World Cup venues will be ready in time, says ICC chief

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MELBOURNE: The subcontinent will be ready in time to host the World Cup though five venues were still undergoing work, the International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat said on Saturday.

According to reports, the World Cup organisers have been racing against time to get the grounds ready for the Feb.19-April 2 tournament jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and
Bangladesh.

"Five stadia are still to be completed but there are no alarm bells ringing and I'm sure they will be ready well before the World Cup," Lorgat told reporters.

Lorgat added that the Feb. 5 verdict on spot-fixing allegations against Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir would not tarnish the image of the
tournament.

"There's some time between when the verdict is released on the fifth of February. We were keen to have it well before the start of the World Cup," he said.

A British newspaper report had alleged that the trio had taken bribes to arrange for deliberate no-balls to be delivered at pre-agreed times in the fourth test against England at Lord's last year.