Cash Catch

From next season the West Indies cricket team will receive $100 000 for each Test they win at home, instead of the $12 000 offered during the last three years.

Additionally, they will earn $200 000 for a Test series win an increase of $160 000.

The deal will run from 2002 to 2004.

Under the new $16.6 million three-year agreement between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and telecommunications giant Cable & Wireless, the team stands to benefit from $1.1 million annually in performance incentives.

A document, which outlines details of the sponsorship agreement, said the incentive scheme was designed to produce winning results.

The main concern for Cable & Wireless remains the performance of the team on and off the field, and Cable & Wireless made it very clear it would not pay fees to the players on a non-performance related basis, it said.

The team sponsorship has been made more performance-based, on and off the field on the insistence of the sponsors.

The upside of this, however, is that if the team perform, they will receive more for the efforts.

The WICB, however, reserves the right to adjust the performance incentive scheme each year.

West Indies have endured a very disappointing record in recent overseas tours, but their performance at home remains satisfactory in spite of losing the current series against South Africa.

Before this season, they won ten Tests against three defeats in 22 Tests on home soil since 1997.

From 2002 to 2004, the West Indies are scheduled to host two teams in each season.

Next year, India and New Zealand visit the Caribbean; Australia and Sri Lanka follow the next season; and England and Bangladesh come in 2004.