Carnival cricket approaching

Cricket World Cup organisers have released details of the opening ceremony. And legendary broadcaster Tony Cozier looks like he will be at the helm for the three-hour extravaganza. I have a good feeling about this opening ceremony. Usually they are pretty boring affairs but if the Notting Hill Carnival is anything to go by, then we're in for something special. I'm trying to remind myself of the 1999 World Cup "ceremony" which by all accounts consisted of a few fireworks and an appearance by Tony Blair. Wisden described the event as "quite pathetic". Can anyone shed any light on that ceremony and how good/bad it really was?

Where's the Marley music?

The 1999 World Cup fireworks were something of a damp squib, but I'm sure the Caribbean authorities are busy preparing what should be a markedly better opening ceremony next March.

Its hard-worked, authoritative media department hasn't been short on its press releases either this year. With the tournament just months away now, one such email popped into my inbox at the weekend, highlighting the island launch of the official Cricket World Cup song "The Game of Love and Unity".

I was half-expecting a decent track too: a touch of the Bob Marley and Pete Tosh vibe, happy steel drum tones and a general Caribbean beat. That was before I remembered it was a tournament song. Judge for yourself by listening to it here. And you can try and keep up with the lyrics here. Thoughts? This won't even make the Easter sale rack in my local Dub records store back home.