The first phase of development to upgrade Sea Breeze Oval into one of the finest cricket venues on the Island continues to take shape, with Works and Engineering Minister Derrick Burgess encouraged by the progress made so far.

As part of a proposal to enhance the East End sports facility, Works and Engineering staff are re-routing the road leading to Coney Island that will allow for more space on the northern side of Sea Breeze Oval - home of Bailey's Bay Cricket Club.

The additional space will increase the size of Sea Breeze Oval's cricket pitch and allow for more seating for spectators. There are also plans in the pipeline to erect floodlights at the sports venue in the hopes of hosting night cricket matches in years to come.

Sea Breeze Oval was originally due to host this summer's popular Eastern Counties series. But it is now understood Bailey's Bay officials have requested to have the matches played at Lords in St. David's instead while work continues at their picturesque facility.

Work began at Sea Breeze Oval in early spring but has been temporarily halted while developers await planning approval on specific details of an ambitious plan made possible by Government funding ($75,000) splashed on Bailey's Bay and a host of other sports clubs last year.

"Sea Breeze Oval hosts the Eastern Counties competition which is played between four teams (Flatts, Cleveland, St.David's and Bailey's Bay) and we (Government) want to help the community," Burgess said. "Right now people go St.David's because it's a nice place and you can move around the field freely. But when work at Bailey's Bay is completed I think it is going to be comparable to St.David's - or even better.

"Our goal is to have two good fields with beautiful surroundings for the public to attend Eastern Counties matches and so we are moving the road over (at Sea Breeze Oval). And as far as lighting is concerned we will do what we can to assist in any way."

Burgess added: "They want to have a good facility up there, a facility that everyone will be proud of. And I think there's no other field in Bermuda that has as much potential as Sea Breeze with all its water views - it just doesn't get any better."

Having been raised in Smith's Parish, cricket runs deep in Burgess' veins. And his involvement in this particular project has offered him an opportunity to give back to a sport he says helps to unite the community.

"I was brought up in Devil's Hole around Cleveland County and that never leaves you," he added. "I really love my cricket and I'm also a big supporter of Bailey's Bay, in more ways than one."

Bailey's Bay Cricket Club president Alton Caisey is also pleased to see his club's ambitious plans get off the ground.

"We are looking to improve the field to make it into a first class facility for cricket," he said. "We also looking to get lighting at some point and this is is just the first phase of the upgrading to create more room in one aspect."