Jamaicans support Ken Gordon

It was confirmed yesterday that Gordon, a former publisher of the Express newspaper completed the formality of stating his intention to bid for the position and his commitment to serve the game in the region.

The nomination papers were sent by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board to the WICB headquarters in St John’s Antigua.

The appointment of the next WICB president will be announced when the executive meets in the island of St Maarten on August 7.

Gordon is widely expected to land the job after Guyana’s nomination, former successful West Indies captain Clive Lloyd failed to garner support from the other regional territories. Lloyd’s nomination could not land a seconder while Barbados’ Tony Marshall, who stated his intention to run very early, dropped out after complaining also of a lack of support.

Jamaican Pat Rousseau, a former WICB president also considered going up but backed out also after getting a lukewarm reception.

Instead Gordon got the full support of the Leeward Islands who seconded the Trinidad and Tobago nomination and proposed their nominee Val Banks for the post of vice-president.

And yesterday Gordon, who is married to a Jamaican, got the resounding support of the Jamaica Cricket Board.

The Associated Press reported that Jackie Hendricks, president of the JCA, said Gordon would be an appropriate choice to replace Barbadian Teddy Griffith, who announced last month that he would not seek another term.

"We think Mr Gordon is an excellent gentleman, a very eminent person, one who could take on the job leading up to the World Cup," Hendricks said.

The JCA had initially supported Pat Rousseau, president of the WICB from 1996 to 2001. It is widely expected that Barbados, the other major cricket territory will also throw their support behind Gordon when the executive meets to appoint the new WICB president. There were also reports yesterday that Guyana will nominate Lloyd for the vice-presidency.

The West Indies, winners of the World Cup in 1975 and 1979, will host the tournament for the first time in 2007.