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Security and health care are the two major items driving government spending ahead of the 2007 World Cup (CWC). That’s according to Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Owen Arthur, who has committed government to spending around $90 million to play its part in the Caribbean’s hosting of the world’s third largest sporting event next March.Arthur was speaking with the Nation in an exclusive interview shortly after laying the 2006-2007 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure in the House of Assembly yesterday.”These Estimates are occasioned by one major consideration,” Arthur said, “that over the course of the next financial year, we have to fully honour all of our Bid Book World Cup major obligations insofar as they have financial implications.” Barbados, he added, did not now have a choice as to whether it had to meet those obligations – it had to be done by the end of March 2007.”So these estimates are driven by the obligation to honour World Cup related activities,” the Prime Minister said, “and the one big change is that there is a 27 per cent increase proposed in capital expenditure.”Capital spending moves from just over $220 million to $300 million, he disclosed, but most of the increase would drop out after next year because it would be a “one-off” expenditure. “Notwithstanding, we are still trying to bring the Estimates in line with the fiscal target of 2.5% of GDP. So even though we are bringing World Cup expenditures to account, we are still honouring the obligation to try to be as fiscally prudent as possible.”Arthur noted there were other expenditures that would have been triggered by commitments given in the January 2006 economic statement, such as $3.6 million to 2,417 people with certified severe disabilities who began drawing $63 weekly from last month.He stressed, however, that World Cup expenditure had not been done at the expense of social services, although he was concerned that there were areas in the public sector delivery of services where costs had been spiralling out of control “a bit”.Explaining the “drastic growth” in spending on security and health care, Arthur pointed to the expansion at the air and seaports; a new telecommunications facility for the police; international conventions that required spending; and a mass casualty facility at Jemmotts Lane.He added that there was an expanded programme for construction and government was also trying to fix the roads and highways as well as the island’s premier attractions.

The ongoing controversy over telecast rights between the Indian board and the television channels means that there will be no live coverage of the Challenger Series, which starts in Mumbai on February 7. The tournament has normally been telecast on Doordarshan, the state-owned channel, but this year, the only way to watch the matches will be by going to the venue.”Last year we had TVS which had come in a big way to sponsor the tournament and there was a live telecast for four days," Ratnakar Shetty, the joint secretary of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), told NDTV, a national news channel. “This year both the things are not happening which is a big loss to the game.” In 2003, the tournament was held in Bangalore and sponsored by TVS, a motor company, which contributed almost Rs 25,000,000 (approx US$555,000), much of which went to the Karnataka State Cricket Association.This year, however, the MCA will get no such benefit, thanks to the telecast imbroglio. “I think domestic cricket has suffered this season because of the television right matter which is pending in the courts,” Shetty complained. “I feel that it is important that these matches are telecast live because it would have helped us to gain some form of revenue.”

Back in the national team after a one-year absence, Hashim Amla, the 23-year-old South African batsman, insists that he is better equipped to make the most of his opportunity this time.”The time out of the national team gave me the opportunity to work on my skills as a batsman,” Amla, who has been included in the squad for the second Test against New Zealand, told journalists. “I’ve changed a couple of things, and I have been making lots of runs in the Supersport Series.”Amla made his Test debut against India in November 2004, but was dropped after his first six innings fetched just 62 runs, with a highest of 25. His tendency to shuffle across his stumps made him an lbw candicate, while question marks were also raised about his ability to handle the short deliveries. Amla, however, said that several coaches had advised him not to bother about the perceived kinks in his technique.”They said I should just concentrate on making runs. I’ve worked on basic things, and I think I am a lot more mature and more experienced than when I last played for South Africa. No cricketer can ever claim to be perfect, and there are always things you can work on to improve your game. Every cricketer improves every year as he goes on, and gains more experience.”Amla is likely to take the No.3 slot in the batting line-up after Herschelle Gibbs was left out, and even though the New Zealand attack will be without Shane Bond, Amla reckoned it would be a big challenge for him. “Their attack is not like the Australian attack,” he said, “but there is strength in their attack and they are ranked above us in the international Test ratings, so you can take nothing for granted.”

Match facts

Tuesday April 15 2008 Start time 14.30 (18.30 GMT)

Big picture

West Indies have secured the series after their back-to-back wins in Trinidad, one a last-ball thriller and the other a more comfortable success completed by the man-of-the-moment, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and Marlon Samuels. It has been an uplifting couple of weeks for West Indies, following their series-levelling Test victory, and a whitewash of the one-dayers would set them up nicely for the ultimate challenge of facing Australia. For Sri Lanka it’s about salvaging pride from a tour that started so promisingly before fading away. They have clearly missed some of their experienced players, but no one ever said rebuilding a side would be easy.

Form guide – West Indies

Last five matches: LLLWWPlayer to watch: It hadn’t been a happy home season for Marlon Samuels until Saturday’s match-winning 54 off 49 balls. He seems to have been weighed down by the controversy over his bowling action, but showed a timely return to form in Trinidad. He has always been a batsman of immense talent and maybe forgetting about bowling completely is the way for him to go.

Form guide – Sri Lanka

Last five matches: LLWLLPlayer to watch Chamara Kapugedera rescued Sri Lanka in the first ODI with a career-best 95 but didn’t get a bat in the following game. Kaushalya Weeraratne was promoted to No. 4 as a pinch-hitter – and laboured to 15 off 20 balls – while Kapugedera kicked around the changing rooms. If Sri Lanka want to change their order he may as well be given a chance higher up to make the most of his form.

Team news

West Indies had a stronger bowling attack for the second match in Trinidad after drafting in Daren Powell who should keep his place. Darren Sammy could come under pressure if they decide to recall Sulieman Benn, the left-arm spinner, on what is usually a batsman-friendly surface.Sri Lanka could decide to give some of their other squad players an outing. In the other matches two bowlers have been off the pace so Thilan Thushara, who impressed in the Test series, would provide a striking option. Chaminda Vaas may have earned a rest at the end of the tour.West Indies (probable) Chris Gayle, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Darren Sammy, Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, Fidel EdwardsSri Lanka (probable) Upul Tharanga, Mahela Udawatte, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Chaminda Vaas, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Thushara

Pitch and conditions

The St Lucia pitch is usually good for batting and 250 is the minimum a team needs to defend. With this being a day/night game the teams will have to adjust their tactics accordingly, although there is limited evidence as to the effect of the lights. The only other floodlit match finished with more than 22 overs to spare as a 10-wicket win for West Indies. There is a chance of showers during the game, so once again Duckworth-Lewis could play a role.

Stats and trivia

Despite trouncing England with some awe-inspiring batting in the recently concluded Test series in Pakistan, Inzamam-ul-Haq wants to play county cricket in the country of cricket’s birth.”I would like to play once in county cricket; that is something I have not done as yet,” Inzamam, the Man of the Series in Pakistan’s 2-0 Test series win, told ABC Sport. “Last year there was an offer from a county but I was not in a position to accept it.”Inzamam, 35, has been in prolific form this year, hitting 1,000 runs in his last eight matches at the superb average of 83.33. Against England, he scored fifties at Multan, two hundreds in Faisalabad – breaking Javed Miandad’s record of 23 Test centuries for Pakistan – and a crucial 97 in Lahore to see Pakistan clinch a thriller.”I have always said that I don’t plan ahead, I go step by step and series by series,” Inzamam added. “But playing in the World Cup is an ambition and so is playing for some county.” It is probable that he is eyeing a rest period in May of next year, following Pakistan’s tour of England in which they will play four Tests and five one-day internationals.A number of Pakistan cricketers have played county cricket in 2005 – Younis Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saqlain Mushtaq, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Azhar Mahmood and Danish Kaneria. In the past, former greats such as Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Zaheer Abbas, Mushtaq Mohammad and Asif Iqbal enjoyed long stints playing county cricket in England.

Muttiah Muralitharan admits he has introduced changes into his game to keep batsmen under his spell.”I’m bowling really well around the wicket a lot at the moment and that’s a new tactic that can help me,” said Muralitharan. “It seems that when you can’t see which way the ball is going it’s harder. So hopefully that helps me in the future and I’ll take more wickets. People are getting ready for the spin, so if I bowl the ‘doosra’ I might get a top edge.”Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka’s captain, hailed the spinner. “He is always trying to take wickets and keeps the pressure on,” said Jayawardene. Muralitharan, one of the survivors of the 1996 title-winning team, took his tournament tally to 23, bettered only by Glenn McGrath, and his overall ODI career record to 455.Meanwhile it is expected that Farveez Maharoof might replace the struggling fast bowler Dilhara Fernando for the final against Australia. Fernando was warned twice for running on the pitch during the 81-run win over New Zealand at Sabina Park on Tuesday while his five overs cost 45 runs. Asantha de Mel, Sri Lanka’s chief selector, told the BBC they were not happy with Fernando’s form and that fellow seamer Farveez Maharoof is likely to get the nod.”Most probably it will be Maharoof,” said De Mel from the Caribbean. “We were not satisfied with Dilhara’s performance.” Maharoof was considered unlucky not to make the semi-final after he had taken 4 for 25 in Sri Lanka’s last Super Eights game against Ireland.De Mel also confirmed that Upul Tharanga would continue to open ahead of Marvan Atapattu. If Atapattu doesn’t play it will be the second time he has sat out an entire World Cup tournament. The same fate befell him when Sri Lanka won the title in 1996.Maharoof was named man-of-the-match against Ireland last week where he took four wickets, including three in an over, as well as pulling off a stunning run-out. Ironically, Maharoof, a former captain of his country’s Under-19 side, was only playing in that match in Grenada because Fernando had an ankle injury.”I got injured earlier in the tournament against Bangladesh but I just kept working hard in the nets,” said Maharoof. “This is my first World Cup and it is something I have been looking forward to ever since I became professional three years ago. All the bowlers have proved their class at the World Cup,” added Maharoof. “We have been talking about getting the basics right and putting the ball in the right areas.”