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ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 has created another regional “first” with the appointment of 16 travelling liaison officers who will be assigned to specific teams throughout next year’s tournament.

The custom, for previous international series in the Caribbean, has been that teams are assigned liaison officers when they arrive in each country where they play. However, for the first time, each team will have a personal liaison officer who will travel with them for the duration of its involvement in the Event.

“These travelling liaison officers will meet the teams when they arrive at their respective Warm-up match destination. They will then travel with their specific team to the Opening Ceremony and then on to the Group Stage, and then for the rest of the tournament, until that team is eliminated,” explained ICC CWC WI 2007 Inc. Cricket Operations Director, Michael Hall.

The decision to institute travelling liaison officers for ICC CWC 2007 stemmed from requests by touring teams who have played in the West Indies in recent years.

“Certainly when I was at the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) it was something that teams had asked for. Next year, we intend to host the best Cricket World Cup ever and this is another way in which we seek to do so, by catering to the needs of teams,” explained Hall, who was previously Chief Cricket Operations Officer at WICB.

The 16 travelling liaison officers were selected on the basis of nominations submitted by each Host Venue’s Local Organising Committee (LOC) and territorial cricket board. In a few instances, requests by the managers of Participating Nations were also taken into account. There is at least one travelling liaison officer from each of the nine Host Venues.

Grenadian, Dwain Gill, is among the 16 chosen to serve in this capacity and is “excited at the prospect of being involved in the Cricket World Cup”.

The 31-year-old, who has previously been liaison officer for England and Bangladesh when they played the West Indies in Grenada, has been assigned to Sri Lanka and brings a solid cricketing background to this assignment. As a teenager, he represented the Barbados Under-16 team and, since returning to his homeland, has become coach of the island’s Under-19 boys’ team and the Grenada senior women’s team.

“I really enjoy being a liaison officer and I see this as an opportunity to serve West Indies cricket. Obviously, I will have to do some research on the Sri Lankan team. It’s a privilege to be chosen to work with a team like Sri Lanka which would be expected to at least progress to the Super 8 stage,” he said.

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Richard Montgomerie has been awarded a Benefit for 2007 by Sussex County Cricket Club in honour of his sixteen years’ service to first-class cricket.

Richard made his professional debut for Northamptonshire in 1991 and was awarded his County cap in 1995.  He then moved to Sussex in the winter of 1998 and was awarded his Sussex cap in 1999.

Richard was delighted with the decision: “I feel very privileged to have been awarded a Benefit by Sussex County Cricket Club.  I am extremely lucky to have played 16 years in professional cricket and particularly the last eight in this thriving Sussex side.

“I look forward to an enjoyable year where Sussex continue to be successful and where supporters will also be able to enjoy the events in my Benefit calendar. ”

Hugh Griffiths, Chief Executive: “Richard’s batting has been a major influence as a 1st XI player over the seasons since he joined us in 1999. He has contributed generally to the improvements on the field of play in that time, and specifically to our Championship success in 2003. Off the field he has won many friends amongst Members, sponsors, supporters, and staff, and I know they will all join me in wishing him a successful  2007 Benefit Season.”

Richard’s stats
http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Sussex/Players/4/4544/4544.html

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