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Fast bowler Darren Gough has decided to leave Essex to return to Yorkshire.

The 36-year-old spent three seasons with Essex after joining the County from Yorkshire in February 2004.

Gough enjoyed a renaissance in his career during his time at The Ford County Ground, forcing his way back into the England one-day squad on the back of his performances at county level.

Essex Chief Executive David East said: “It is with regret that Darren has decided to leave after we initially had high hopes over the winter that he would sign a new contract with the Club. As is widely acknowledged, Darren’s ties to Yorkshire County Cricket Club are strong and we understand his desire to return to play for his county of birth.

“Everyone connected with Essex County Cricket Club would like to thank Darren for his outstanding service with the Club. Besides his excellent performances on the field, Darren has been a major influence on our young players and their success in recent years.

“We now hope that some of those younger players can take on his mantle over the seasons ahead. Essex has lost players in the past and continued to progress and we have no reason to believe why we shouldn’t carry that on.

“We would like to wish Darren all the best for the remainder of his playing career and look forward to welcoming him back to Chelmsford in the future.”

The paceman took 82 first-class wickets for Essex @ 27.47 and scored 613 first-class runs @ 36.88.

In addition, Gough played a major role in helping the Essex Eagles to successive one-day league titles in 2005 and 2006, taking 38 wickets @ 16.44 over three seasons of totesport League/NatWest Pro40 Division One cricket.

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Never been to the Caribbean before; coming for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007; want to know the best restaurants, places to party and what’s happening while you’re in town?

There’s now the perfect companion for fans attending the Event, especially first-time guests from outside the region.

The ICC CWC 2007 Official Visitor’s Guide to the West Indies is now available at bookstores and other retailers throughout the region. It will also be sold by concessionaires as well as itinerant vendors at CWC matches.

A compact, full-colour pocket reference of the Caribbean, the book features 140 pages of current information which visitors will find useful as they traverse the nine Host Venues, following the ICC Cricket World Cup. Produced by Jamaica-based companies, Great House Publishing and MAPCO Printers, it showcases a number of elements regarding the countries staging CWC matches, including:

• Overview of the Territories

• ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 Match Schedule & related information

• Things to See & Do

• Restaurants & Pubs

• Beaches of the West Indies

• Carnival

• Historic Sites, Museums, etc.

• Entertainment & Nightlife

• Environmental/Wildlife Attractions

• Essential phone directories (taxis, emergency, etc.)

“This is a unique product which has been put together with input from the tourism organisations in the nine Host Venues to present the region’s attractions, services and amenities to the global community. It’s the brainchild of West Indian people – in the West Indies – and it will be an excellent road map for visitors to the Caribbean as they plot how to spend their time outside of Cricket World Cup matches.

“We are pleased to have had the opportunity to contribute to the tournament through CWC’s Licensing & Merchandising programme and proud to offer fans this high-quality publication,” said Director of Great House Publishing, Michael Grant.

“We’ve been able to condense attractions, calendars, the CWC Match Schedule, restaurants, essential stadium info and critical telephone numbers for every country into the Visitor’s Guide. It’s a comprehensive digest of the countries hosting Cricket World Cup matches.”

Commercial Director, Stephen Price, congratulated Great House Publishing and MAPCO Printers on a sterling job, noting that once again “home-grown Caribbean talent has come to the party and seized the opportunity to be involved in a world-class event”.

The ICC CWC 2007 Official Visitor’s Guide to the West Indies is being distributed in Jamaica by Novelty Trading and MAPCO Printers and in the Eastern Caribbean by Trinidadian style magazine, MACO, and its distribution company, Moving Magazines Caribbean Limited.

For more information on this Official Publication, contact Michael Grant at (876) 490-7111 or micgrant@ix.netcom.com.

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A captivating and colourful showcase of the Caribbean’s diverse culture will be the highlight of the Opening Ceremony for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.

Scenes representative of the vibrant lifestyle and heritage of the region will unfold on stage at the March 11 celebration to welcome the world to the tournament – starting with a medley of calypso, dancehall, mento, reggae, ska, soca and other musical genres.

The three-hour presentation at Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium in Jamaica will include a variety of dance sequences, stilt walkers enacting a cricket match – with commentary by the renowned Tony Cozier – a mass choir and fire blowers. There will also be an energetic drum score by a visiting troop from South Africa, symbolising the link between the previous ICC Cricket World Cup and this year’s Event.

“Rehearsals are going well and everyone is working hard to make this a successful and unforgettable start to the Cricket World Cup. It will be a fusion of Caribbean talent, traditions and ethnicities and therefore a tribute to the rich cultures of the Host Venues and the region as a whole,” said Event Manager for the Opening Ceremony, Martin Lewis.

Carnival, which is celebrated annually in several regional countries, will be a central theme of the evening’s proceedings and various scenes will see characters – such as revellers, a shaggy bear and plantation girls – ‘playing mas’ and depicting the merriment of these occasions and the Mello flavour of life in the Caribbean.

“This will be the first taste of the Cricket World Cup that the world receives and we want to convey the creative and warm spirit of our people and show them what they can expect for the two months that they are our guests,” continued Lewis, adding that some of the region’s top entertainers will participate as well.

“We will disclose the depth of the entertainment package in the coming days but I can tell you that it will involve some of the best in the business and will be a salute to the region’s musical legacy.”

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