A CAPTIVATING and colourful showcase of the Caribbean's diverse culture will be the highlight of the opening ceremony for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.

Scenes representative of the vibrant lifestyle and heritage of the region will unfold onstage at the March 11 celebration to welcome the world to the tournament - starting with a medley of calypso, dancehall, mento, reggae, ska, soca and other musical genres.

The three-hour presentation at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Sports Complex will include a variety of dance sequences, stilt walkers enacting a cricket match - with commentary by the renowned Tony Cozier - a mass choir and fire blowers. There will alsobe an energetic drum score by a visiting troop from South Africa, symbolising the link between the previous ICC Cricket World Cup and this year's event.

"Rehearsals are going well and everyone is working hard to make this a successful and unforgettable start to the Cricket World Cup. It will be a fusion of Caribbean talent, traditions and ethnicities and therefore a tribute to the rich cultures of the host venues and the region as a whole," said event manager for the opening ceremony, Martin Lewis.

Carnival, which is celebrated annually in several regional countries, will be a central theme of the evening's proceedings and various scenes will see characters - such as revellers, a shaggy bear and plantation girls - 'playing mas' and depicting the merriment of these occasions and the 'Mello' flavour of life in the Caribbean.

"This will be the first taste of the Cricket World Cup that the world receives and we want to convey the creative and warm spirit of our people and show them what they can expect for the two months that they are our guests," continued Lewis, adding that some of the region's top entertainers will participate as well.

"We will disclose the depth of the entertainment package in the coming days but I can tell you that it will involve some of the best in the business and will be a salute to the region's musical legacy."