The opening ceremony

01.10GMT As the fireworks erupt overhead, and the shimmering dancers shimmer their way to the exits, it's time for the first act of the ninth World Cup to draw to a close. And you know what? I rather enjoyed that. The Caribbean has started its 50 days of festivities in grand style. Now it's time for the on-field action to begin. Join us here at Cricinfo for live and unrivalled coverage of all 51 matches, starting with West Indies against Pakistan, from Sabina Park, Kingston, on Tuesday.

01.05GMT "Wonderful world, beautiful people," sings our Jimmy, as the flags of the host nations are paraded on the outfield. And now all the cast are on the field as well. I sense a grand finale is brewing.

01.00GMT Here comes Jimmy Cliff, a modern-day reggae star, joined on stage by Tony Rebel and Dwight Richards. "People," they declare. "Let's get together and show our power all over the world." Word.

00.55GMT The stadium lights have all gone out. No, don't worry, it's deliberate. There's a special guest being beamed onto the main stage. If it's Jamaica, no party is complete without Bob Marley. Here's Redemption Song, and Three Little Birds, as sung - live - by his former backing singers, I Three. They complete their medley with the words: "Let's get together and feel alright." And you can't say fairer than that.

00.50GMT It's carnival time now - lots of silver and blue booty-shakers from Trinidad and Tobago, and some vast great king and queen costumes. Huge great floats with big teeth and wings. Mildly scary at this time of night. There are all doing a conga round the pitch now, singing "Cricket is my passion, it is in my veins..."

00.48GMT We have a veritable riot of colour on the pitch now. St Lucia's contribution are nothing short of techicolor yetis - "pitchipatchi dancers" I think they are called.

00.45GMT Bollywood has long since tuned out, but here's a little Indian music to change the mood. Lots of Asian influence throughout the Caribbean, of course, especially in Trinidad and Guyana. And lots of Chinese influence in the building of these stadia. Now we've got lots of "plantation girls" all dressed in white on the outfield. Very elegant too, as a clarinet player serenades them all. "What a pretty array of parasols."

00.15GMT There are stiltwalkers on the outfield! The groundsman will be doing his nut ... it's just as well the Trelawny Stadium has done its bit for this tournament. And what a good bit it has done too. In fact, they are stilt-cricketers. I've never seen a man on stilts run into bowl before. Quite a good, loose-limbed action. Got to be careful of over-stepping.

00.12GMT Here's Sir Garfield Sobers, and the Ninth ICC Cricket World Cup has been declared officially open! And there go the fireworks, bursting against the night sky, as the cricketers leave the field and the performers take the stage once again for "an exciting display of energy".

00.11GMT Here comes Steve Bucknor to give the umpires' pledge. I can honestly say I thought, until he opened his mouth just this second, that he was a mute.

00.09GMT The players in front of the podium are starting to sway from leg to leg now. The trooping of the colour, this ain't. Here's Brian Lara to speak for the teams. "What a great honour," he begins. "We promise we shall play to the best of our ability, respect the laws, observe the rules, commit to highest standards of sportsmanship. To all the cricketers, may the best team win, and to all the visitors, may you witness one of the greatest supporting spectacles."

00.04GMT Brace yourselves. It's Percy Sonn. "The West Indies must rank as the most idyllic and stunningly aesthetic cricket-playing country in the world," announces the President of the ICC. Gosh, try saying "stunningly aesthetic" when you're drunk ...

00.00GMT Right, it's dignitary time. Here's Ernest Valentine-Banks, vice-president of the WICB. "This is what they thought was mission impossible," he intones, as the "best World Cup ever" is promised from the podium. "We have overcome the constraints of nine sovereign states, in the most ambitious event ever untaken by the collective Caribbean."

23.58GMT And everyone's in place, it's time for the World Cup song, as performed by Shaggy and Faye Ann-Lyons among others. Oh God, Mello the mascot's got a bat. What is he about to do? Can't quite hear the lyrics, although they involve "put your hands up", "love and unity", "clap your hands", "come together", "play the beautiful game" and "the rules never change". Yes, they do! What about Powerplays, supersubs, oh never mind ...

22.40GMT Now here's a flavour of the eighth World Cup in South Africa - here's a gaggle of drummers called, I think, "Drum Cafe". They were formed in Johannesburg and have spread all over South Africa, and now all the way to the Caribbean. Good work drummers. They've performed for the Royal Family, Nelson Mandela and George Bush apparently.

"Usually when they perform, the lines between performer and audience blur," announce the voiceover people, clearly not reading from their programme notes.

22.35GMT That completes the initial greetings. Now the stage is cleared, and the big screen is devoted to the World Cup's anti-Aids message. The ICC is supporting UNICEF and UNAIDS to spread the message throughout the Caribbean, the second-most affected region in the world, after sub-Saharan Africa.

And now here comes the singer, Ashe, to put the message to music. "We've got to find a way to protect the future," she sings as she dances across the outfield with her troupe of backing singers. Quite so. "Using entertainment to encourage social change," intones the stadium announcer.

22.20GMT "This evening I am immensely proud to be a West Indian," says Chris Dehring, the chief executive of the organising committee. "This is the moment we have been planning for ten years. This is the moment that makes the sweat and tears worthwhile."

The Ht Ron Dr Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada, whose island was so devastated by Hurricane Ivan three years ago, is next up to the podium. "This is the birth of a new dawn," he announces, as he talks of the manner in which the various nations of the Caribbean have worked together to make this event happen. "Throughout our history West Indies have enjoyed and played this game in the best spirit."

Portia Simpson Miller, the first female Prime Minister of Jamaica, extends her greetings to the assembled throng. "The moment is finally here. Jamaica is a cricket-loving country, the sport is deeply embedded in our hearts and lives. We're hear to cheer on every team, as we rally round the West Indies."

22.15GMT Well, here it is. The Cricket World Cup is upon us. The cricketers of 16 nations are gathered at the Greenfields Stadium, Trelawny, the newly-built stadium on the north coast of Jamaica, to take part in the opening ceremony of the ninth Cricket World Cup. We have been serenaded by the Jamaican Military Band, who marched in the formation "CWC 07" and by the singer, Sanchez, who belted out the Jamaican national anthem.