By Tony Becca - From The Boundary 
Tony Becca
THE WEST Indies are busy in Antigua getting themselves ready for the World Cup, from all reports, the preparation has been going well and listening to captain Carl Hooper, manager Ricky Skerritt, coach Roger Harper and senior player Brian Lara, with a little luck they could go all the way and win it.
Remembering that up to a few months ago hardly anyone gave them a chance of even coming out of the first round, winning the Cup would be great. In fact, with the Windies listed at No. 6 in the one-day rankings, with Australia strong favourites at 13 to eight to win it and the West Indies at 18 to one and behind South Africa, Pakistan, India, New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka, victory would be really something to celebrate - probably even more so than in 1975 when they were one of the favourites and in 1979 when they were the favourites.
Confidence is the key to success, in recent times the confidence that they will win seems to have been lacking in West Indies teams and it is good to see that Hooper and Skerritt, Harper and Lara are confident that the team will do well, very well, this time around.
What is also important is that it does not appear to be simply wishful thinking. It seems that they really believe and such confidence is bound to rub off on the players - particularly the young ones.
The good news coming out of Antigua, however, is the sponsorship of the regional four-day tournament for the next five years.
Following the withdrawal of Busta as the sponsors of the tournament, and the uncertainty as to where the next sponsor would come from, the announcement that one has been found is good news.
Regardless of what happens at the World Cup, the strength, the continuity of West Indies cricket is dependent on what happens at the lower level, and for a few simple reasons.
The presence of a regional tournament provides the opportunity for players to represent the territories, and that is what motivates young players to train and practice. On top of that, that is where talent is exposed and where, through competition, talent is developed.
Over the years, West Indies cricket has been blessed not only with support from an international giant like but also from regional companies like Red Stripe and Busta, and as they said to them, cricket fans should say a wonderful thank you to Carib Beer for answering the call.
A friend in need is a friend indeed and after sponsoring the West Indies team to the 1999 World Cup and for the 2000 tour of England it is good to see that Carib Beer out of Trinidad and Tobago is not only willing to get in at the top but also where, apart from school cricket and club cricket, it matters most.
With a little luck, a confident West Indies could win the World Cup. Next time, however, in the West Indies in 2007, they may not need any divine intervention.
One never knows, and only time will tell. Because of the continued exposure of young players in the regional tournament, however, because of the competition the Carib Beer Series will provide, the West Indies may be so good that luck or no luck, they could be, as they certainly were in 1979, too strong for all comers.
