Qualification for the World Cup in the West Indies could bring enormous benefits to Bermuda cricket with the International Cricket Council confirming their offer of a $500,000 package to all five countries who will advance from the ICC Trophy here in Ireland and join the Test nations for the sport?s showpiece event in 2007.

Added to that substantial cash boost is the possibility of a pre-World Cup competition next year involving the five ICC Trophy qualifiers as well as Kenya, with Bermuda tipped as the most likely venue should they advance from the current tournament.

And another plus would be the elevation to full international one-day status for all countries qualifying for the World Cup.

Negotiations for a new ICC event are still in the embryonic stages but it?s understood Bermuda are central to the discussions.

An ICC spokesman said yesterday: ?Talks about a new tournament prior to the World Cup possibly involving qualifiers from the ICC Trophy have taken place. But certainly no decision has been taken on the venue or the make-up, although Kenya have also been mentioned.

?However, a source close to the ICC told yesterday that Bermuda would be considered a perfect venue because conditions would be close to those expected in the Caribbean a year later.

It?s understood that at least three grounds would be required to host the competition, which would likely be played under a round-robin format.

Besides Bermuda, among those vying for a spot at the World Cup with one round of group matches remaining today are Ireland, Denmark, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, Canada, Holland, Scotland and Namibia.

Any four of those countries along with Kenya would represent the biggest and most prestigious cricket tournament ever hosted by Bermuda.

And funds to help organise it would almost certainly be provided by the ICC who are keen to continue pouring money into the development of the game in the non Test-playing countries.

On the opening day of the ICC Trophy last Friday at the Civil Service ground in Stormont, where Ireland defeated Bermuda, ICC president Ehsan Mani reiterated the promise he made earlier this year to provide a $2.5 million package of ?High Performance? funding to the five qualifying teams.

?As well as the current ICC funding provided to the top Associate Member nations we will be making available an additional $2.5 million of High Performance support to the five teams that will be competing in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007,? said Mani.

?This funding will provide each nation with up to $US500,000 of funding to be targeted at coaching, infrastructure and development over the next four years. It will ensure they are supported in their quest through to the next ICC Cricket World Cup and beyond.

?This is the ICC?s largest-ever High Performance grant to our Associate Members and our High Performance Manager Richard Done will be working very closely with these countries to ensure they derive maximum benefit from this cash injection.?

ICC secretary Malcolm Speed added that the ICC?s support of the successful nations was not purely financial.

?As well as access to these funds and Richard?s experienced assistance, we have also rewarded these top-performing Associate Members by extending our definition of One-Day International cricket,? said Speed.

?In the past official One-Day Internationals have only included matches involving our ten Full Member countries, Kenya ? which has had One-Day International status since 1997 ? and all matches during major ICC one-day events and the Asia Cup.

?From January 1, 2006, any match played between any two of our top 16 sides will have the potential to be an official One-Day International, opening up the premium category of one-day cricket to the top five teams from the ICC Trophy.

?These nations will have the prestige and security of ODI status for these matches all the way through to the next ICC Trophy in four years time and they will gain valuable experience under the same playing conditions as the ICC Cricket World Cup.

?These initiatives provide an opportunity to make a lasting positive impact on the development of cricket in these countries.?