Brancker targets 'flawless' World Cup

Rawle Brancker, chairman of West Indies 2007 Inc, is aiming for the Caribbean islands to stage a “flawless” World Cup, but recognises there is a lot of hard work ahead.

Barbados has been chosen as the venue to host the final, while Jamaica will stage the opening ceremony and the first match. England will be based in St Lucia for the group games.

Brancker said: “There is little time left, but enough for us to do the job. There is no time for celebration, instead, let us consolidate, harmonise our approach and unite towards the one purpose of staging the best World Cup event.”

Chairman of the Caribbean Community, Grenada's Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell, added: “I believe, without a doubt that we in the Caribbean have the will, the ability and the creativity to rise to the challenge and make 2007 the most memorable of all ICC Cricket World Cups.

“I say this because, in the West Indies, cricket is the glue that binds us together. Each of our countries individually and the region collectively, have a rich cricket history. We have given much to the cricket world and it is thus fitting that 2007 should be our year.”

President of the West Indies Cricket Board Teddy Griffith praised the heads of government for their support.

He said: “From the time the heads of government were first approached in 1998, our leaders have committed themselves to the process and we owe them a debt of gratitude for staying the course with us and agreeing to undertake the significant investment that this event calls for.”

Griffith also indicated that the event would leave a legacy of economic benefit as well as a required “improvement of and addition to the cricketing facilities to which sadly we have admittedly not paid sufficient attention in the past”.