Edgbaston redevelopment on target

Warwickshire chief executive Colin Povey today confirmed the county's new £32million ground redevelopment will be done "on budget and on time."

Edgbaston is undergoing a facelift at the moment and the building of an impressive new pavilion which will include conference facilities, a hotel, housing and offices and the floodlights will upgraded.

The project, which is being funded by loan from Birmingham City Council, is expected to be finished by July and a beaming Povey is pleased everything has gone to plan so far.

He said: "We are starting to get there and stood pitchside you can get a real perspective of what the beast is going to be like once it is finally finished.

"I go and have a look around the site once or twice a week. We are getting a lot of shape on the internal of the building as well and we can't wait for it to be ready and open.

"We are still on track to get the keys to the castle at the beginning of July and also we are on budget. There is still a lot of work to be done but so far we are on schedule and so far so good.

"And I have to pay tribute to a lot of those involved in the construction process who have worked through what was a very difficult December with some of the temperatures.

"I think we will be on time and on budget."

Povey also confirmed everyone at Warwickshire is working hard to iron out any glitches before they host the third Npower Test between England and India in the summer.

He said: "We've got a major focus on the Test match which starts on August 10th and we'll have five weeks then, if we stay on schedule, between getting the keys to the building and that game.

"We will have to do some proving events including two televised games of domestic cricket. And we'll have to familiarise ourselves with the stadium.

"We have sat through meetings today and gone through things like safety certificate for the ground through to how we're going to get ourselves moved out of the temporary offices and into the new facility.

"There is still a huge amount of work to be done but I think, when you look at the new facility and what it will offer to us, it's a really exciting prospect."