The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is faced with a severe shortage of funds and its only short-term saviour appears to be the hosting the 2007 World Cup. Apparently, the WICB auditors, an internationally recognised firm of chartered accountants, in their independent report to WICB Inc shareholders, have stated that WICB and its World Cup subsidiary incurred a net loss of US$19,513,410 during the year ended September 30, 2005 and accumulated a deficit of US$34,920,819. In other words, they are firmly in the red. “The group’s continued existence is dependent upon the net cash inflow which is expected from hosting the World Cup, its ability to find new sources of finance, and to identify and implement additional or alternative revenue, generating and cost-reduction programmes, which will contribute to the group achieving and maintaining profitable operations.”