Big money for winner of World Cup 2007

Elmo Rodrigopulle in West Indies

WORLD CUP: The winners of the 2007 World Cup on April 28 in Barbados will receive the fastest ever prize money offered since this tournament started in 1975.

The winning captain who climbs the podium will pocket a cheque for US$ 2 million. The International Cricket Council, which is swimming in dollars, would not have been faulted if they had doubled the prize money.

Obviously they haven't realised that it is the players who, with their sterling performances attract the sponsors and the not ICC shieks sitting in the cool in Dubai. The runner-up will take US$ 1,000,000. Semi-final losers US$ 450,000 each, 5th place US$ 200,000, 6th place US$ 150,000, 7th place US$ 100,000, 8th place US$ 50,000, winners group matches US$ 10,000x24, losers group matches US$ 5,000x24. The total prize money on offer is US$ 5,000,000.

The winners in addition will hold aloft and carry away a replica of the ICC World Cup, which signifies their supremacy in the shortened version of the game.

The ICC trophy

Garrard and Co, the British Crown Jewellers, designed and produced the trophy within two months in London, helped by a team of master craftsmen. The trophy now on offer was made for the 1999 event.

The trophy itself is 60 centimetres high, made from silver and gold and features a golden globe held up by three silver columns. The columns, shaped as stumps and bails, represents the three fundamental aspects of cricket - batting, bowling and fielding while the globe characterises a cricket ball.

It is designed in platonic dimensions, so that it can be instantly recognised from any angle. The trophy weighs approximately 11 kilograms and has the names of the previous winners inscribed on its base.

There is still room for another ten teams to have their names inscribed. The international Cricket Council retains the actual trophy in their shelves in Dubai, but a replica, which is identical in all aspects apart from the inscription of the previous champions is awarded to the winning team and remain in their possession.

The awesome Aussies have won the trophy in 1999 under Stephen Waugh and they retained it under Ricky Ponting the present skipper in 2003.

The Australians are strong favourites to win it again this time and it will be interesting to watch whether they would be allowed to retain the replica outright. Come April 28 and when the final ball is bowled at the 3Ws Kensignton Oval in Barbados will tell.

Grenada National Stadium, Tuesday