Mahela receives award from Crawford

Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from the West Indies

CRICKET: Mahela Jayawardena the Sri Lankan Captain who came out of his very bad trot with a welcome knock of 85 against Bermuda and was made man of the match received his award from Hasely Crawford, Trinidad's and Tobago's first Olympic Gold medal winner.

Crawford was a gold medallist in the 100 metres at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. He also represented the country at the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games.

The Local Organising Committee of the World Cup decided to recognise individuals who have made and continue to make significant contributions to their countries and the world in various spheres including academia, sport, community service and art and culture.

Gibbs in luck's way

Herchelle Gibbs, the South African opening batsman who hit six sixes in one over against the Netherlands, earned a dollars 1 million USD donation that will be awarded to Habitat for Humanity thanks to Johnnie Walker, the Scotch Whisky people and an official sponsor of World Cup 2007.

'It was just a marvellous achievement. For Johnnie Walker to come up with the dollars one million 'Six Sixes Challenge' certainly acted as a huge incentive to the players', exclaimed Sir Vivian Richards, the former West Indies master blaster.

The donation of dollars one million will go to Habitat for Humanity, which is currently in the process of building homes throughout the Caribbean including Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christan Ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing.

Since its founding in Americus, Ga in 1976, Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses in nearly 100 countries, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than one million people.

Media facilities poor

The media facilities here at the Queen's Park Oval is not what it should be in conducting a tournament in the magnitude of a World Cup. There is no scorer to help the mediamen. The media has to wait for the end of the innings or the match where a computerised sheet is delivered.

Mediamen having to catch deadlines are greatly inconvienced.

The organisers obviously do not understand the work of journalists and have neglected this very important aspect, that of having a scorer in the media box.