Ken Gordon - file

bridgetown, barbados (cmc)

The chairman of the board for the 2007 International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007 will be leading a delegation of officials to the ICC Champions Trophy in India.

Ken Gordon, who is also president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), will head the group that will also include senior officers of the various organising committees of the nine countries which will be hosting matches.

As part of the outreach to the global market, Mello, the youth World Cup mascot, will be on display during the Champions Trophy, which is due to end on November 5.

"Mr Gordon will be heading the team to the Champions Trophy as we continue to reach out to the cricket world and try to whip up support and interest for the 2007 World Cup," said Chris Dehring, who is chief executive officer and managing director of CWC 2007.

"He will answer questions and bring the international media and various stakeholders fully up-to-date on what is happening here in the Caribbean." Dehring added that the Champions Trophy in India was an obvious avenue to market the World Cup, which will be played from March 5 to April 28 next year in the Caribbean.

"There will be merchandising opportunities as well. India is by far the biggest market for cricket and one of the biggest sports market in the world, so it will make sense to be there, on the ground, where the action is going on, "Dehring pointed out.