Residents claim expansion plans by St. George's Cricket Club will put them on a sticky wicket.

Wellington Slip Road will be narrowed and land will be taken from nearby businesses and homes as the club gears up for the Cup Match Centenary.

Eugene Lima, acting manager of Meyer Industries who is based on the street, attacked plans to reduce width in the south east corner of the road which circles the club.

He said: "From looking at the plans it's going to present a problem with big trucks bringing steel in and out.

"The road is tight enough as it is. I presume if they are making it smaller it's going to be a little bit more difficult.'' "I am not saying we won't be able to get it -- we have two gates.'' Lawrence Marine Manager William Lawrence said; "We will possibly have a problem with bringing in big containers and trucks.

"The road has already been changed from a two-way road to a one-way road because it was too narrow to have two lanes -- trucks and cranes have to go the wrong way round.'' One trucker, who wrote to The Royal Gazette described the road changes as a "complete farce'' and another "example of blatant Government waste''.

He said: "Having worked and driven this road for 22 years in a heavy truck and trailering boats along it, I feel qualified to comment on this.'' He said the section of road chosen for road widening had never posed problems for any business or resident.

But he said a corner 200 yards down was so narrow it was "impossible for many tractors to deliver steel to Meyer Industries, thereby forcing them to drive the wrong way along the one-way road to make the deliveries.'' "The project involves several compulsory purchases to complete. Those involved have been told they will be compensated only if they can prove the land is theirs as one has not been able to locate his deeds.

He said reducing the road from 16 feet to 12 feet would make it "dangerous or impossible'' for large trucks and equipment as well as emergency vehicles to pass any car park or truck.

The trucker continued: "The only advantage to the above goes to St. George's Cricket Club, in that they seem to be getting a large section of land at the public expense.

"This will allow them to move their unsightly wall further outward to allow for a pedestrian walkway around their field in time for Cup Match, as I understand it was promised to the members by an area MP.'' Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott said the letter writer should have objected to the Ministry instead of running to the Press if he was really interested in getting results rather than generating bad publicity.

"This is something the community supports. This isn't a community-minded letter-writer.

"If it's narrow it certainly won't be any narrower when we have completed the work.'' "We are working with St. George's Cricket Club -- this year is the 100th year of Cup Match.

"They want to make it very special and they are doing a considerable amount of work to make a wider field and improve the amenities.

"This led to a request to extend the whole perimeter.'' Resident John Raposa is losing some of his land to the cricket club.

He said: "I objected but I didn't get anywhere with it.'' He said the road would be too tight.

"People walk their dogs, 12 feet is not very wide. I think it will be dangerous, quite honestly.

"I have been talking to a couple of people around here and they are not happy.'' St. George's Cricket Club President Red DeSilva said: "I am not an engineer or an expert in road safety so I have no comment.''