Champions Trophy 2010 is first major legacy benefit of ICC CWC 2007

ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 Inc. has termed the awarding of the ICC Champions Trophy in 2010 to the region "an indication of the ICC's appreciation of the handling of preparations for next year's Cricket World Cup and has stated that it is the first major legacy benefit from hosting the Event".

Noting that the West Indies will now be hosting the "two most prestigious cricket tournaments within three years of each other", ICC CWC WI 2007 Inc. Chairman, Kenneth Gordon, says this is already evidence that, given the proper infrastructure and professionalism, the Caribbean can vie to host more international events.

"We are very pleased to see that the work and planning which has been invested in the ICC Cricket World Cup has been acknowledged in this way. There's no doubt that such efforts played a significant part in the West Indies Cricket Board's (WICB) successful bid for the ICC Champions Trophy.

"This will be another opportunity for the region to show it is capable of delivering a world-class event in the same way that much bigger countries, with greater economies and resources, have been doing for many years."

"This is what we mean when we speak of the legacy benefits of Cricket World Cup. This is the first major example of what the Caribbean can reap in the future because of the investment being made now," he said.

Gordon thanked the employees of ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 Inc. who developed the WICB's bid presentation that was submitted to the ICC last February.

"That team at Cricket World Cup headquarters worked tremendously hard to ensure the WICB had the best possible chance of securing at least one of the tournaments for which ICC members were bidding. It was a first-class document which they prepared and it was very well received by the ICC. They were quite impressed," revealed the Chairman, noting that the region is developing a cadre of sports-events professionals at ICC CWC WI 2007 Inc. whose expertise will be invaluable for tournaments such as the ICC Champions Trophy.

Gordon also thanked outgoing WICB CEO Roger Brathwaite for his role in coordinating the bid on WICB's behalf.

He also pointed out that ICC used "a virtually identical bid process to that conceptualised by WICB in determining Host Venues for next year's Event".

"There were 24 questions just as Cricket World Cup 2007 had 24 deliverables and much of them were very similar."

"That is a compliment of the highest order. Once ICC continues to utilise our blueprint, WICB should be competitive in bidding for major ICC tournaments in the future, especially with the new stadiums across the Caribbean."