Rampaul gets Aussie scholarship

The nomination for Rampaul, who has played four One-Day International (ODI) matches for the West Indies, follows consultation between the Australia High Commission and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

The formal awarding of the scholarship will take place at a function on July 20 in Port-of-Spain. The scholarship is being funded under the auspices of the Australian Sports Outreach Programme (ASOP), which Michell launched in the Caribbean on June 23.

The ASOP is a five-year programme running from July 2006 to June 2011. Rampaul’s scholarship will involve the 21-year-old spending four weeks at the elite Cricket Australia - Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence in Brisbane, Australia, where he will undergo intensive tutelage in the art of fast bowling under the guidance of Australia’s foremost cricket coaches.

The Australia High Commission believes the awarding — through ASOP — of a young Caribbean cricketers’ scholarship is an important step in building stronger relations between Australia and the Caribbean region.

Currently, the Australian government is examining the possibility of awarding further scholarships to young Caribbean cricketers over each year of the life of the ASOP.