Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor

FORMER JAMAICA and West Indies star batsman Lawrence 'Yagga' Rowe appears set to be drafted by Jamaica Cricket 2007 Limited to assist in promoting next year's ICC Cricket World Cup in the region.

The legendary cricketer was here last weekend as coach of the United States cricket team which played Jamaica for the Air Jamaica Cup in the first match at the new stadium being built in Trelawny.

Apart from the prize, which was won by Jamaica, the match facilitated a test run for Air Jamaica and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) in their preparations for the World Cup.

CAPITALISE ON BENEFITS

The LOC, according to executive director Robert Bryan is also looking to capitalise on promotional benefits it may derive through Rowe's association with the venture.

"I had a discussion with Lawrence Rowe to explore how we could work with him. As a former great Jamaican and a former great West Indies player, I think he's a fabulous asset. It was very positive, he was very delighted," Bryan told The Sunday Gleaner of his initial discussions with Rowe at the Trelawny stadium.

He added: "I was very impressed with his contribution to the entire day, his coaching of the side and all of that. I think it is a very significant asset of Jamaica that certainly we at the LOC would like to utilise."

A stylish batsman, Rowe, who scored back-to-back hundreds in his debut Test appearance, was hugely popular due to his batting class.

However, he led a rebel West Indian cricket team to South Africa during the apartheid era and has virtually lived in the United States since.

The LOC wants to capitalise on support for the event from that vast North American region and believes Rowe is influential enough to aid that drive.

"We want to incorporate him in terms of accompanying us, in terms of advertising support, in terms of being a role model, in terms of the ideas that were floating around - how can we use that star power to build because of course, Cricket World Cup has a tremendous legacy and Lawrence Rowe is certainly one of the best exponents of that," Bryan pointed out.

JOINT INITIATIVES

The Jamaica 2007 director says the sort of promotion they are seeking to establish with Rowe is a joint effort with the Jamaica Tourist Board, which also earmarks other prominent cricketers who served the region.

"We are working with the tourist board. In fact, many of our initiatives in marketing now are going to be a joint ventures with the tourist board and the Ministry of Tourism and Ambassador Courtney Walsh and we are targeting the diaspora, we're going into Ireland, England, India etcetera."

"We also have a very special programme that we're designing for former West Indian and Jamaican players during the World Cup and to engage them in a way to put the best foot forward for Jamaica," he said.