West Indies sign new sponsorship deal

West Indies have unveiled their new sponsor. Digicel, the Caribbean's leading mobile-phone service, has signed a multi-million dollar five-year deal, with an option to renew, which will come into operation for the tour to Australia in 2004-05.

"Our partnership with Digicel represents a new era for the sponsorship of West Indies cricket," said Teddy Griffiths, the president of the West Indies Cricket Board. "We look forward to a long and rewarding partnership."

Last month, the decline of West Indies cricket was underlined by the withdrawal of Cable & Wireless, their long-term sponsorship partners, who had been involved with the team for 19 years. But Digicel have accepted the challenge of taking on a side whose fortunes have been steadily falling in recent years.

"Digicel takes enormous pride in becoming the official main sponsor of the West Indies cricket team," said Denis O'Brien, the chairman of Digicel Group. "We believe in the future of the Caribbean and its cricket. Our intention is to enable West Indies cricket to get back to the top of world Test cricket and to success in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007."

We are delighted to make available this substantial sponsorship package to West Indies cricket," added O'Brien. "We will add new energy into West Indies cricket through our incentives and youth programmes. This will encourage more great performances and foster future cricket legends. We are excited about the future of cricket in the Caribbean. Our sponsorship will help enable West Indian cricket regain their dominance of the sport."