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Having already put their name to local cricket, beer giant Carib is now rallying around the regional cricket team.

At the Trinidad Hilton Hotel yesterday afternoon, Chris Dehring, Chief Marketing Officer of the West Indies Cricket Board, and Carib Brewery chairman Norman Sabga, with the new Windies cricket anthem sounding in the background, put pen to paper to seal the deal that will see the local company sponsoring the regional team to the tune of US$1 million.

According to Dehring, the money will be spread over two overseas tours, the World Cup venture next month and the Test tour to England in 2000.

For the World Cup, Dehring told the audience that included acting Prime Minister John Humphrey, Sports Minister Manohar Ramsaran and chairman of the Ansa McAl group Anthony Sabga, the money will amount to half-a-million dollars per tour with an additional incentive package being on offer for reaching the semifinals and final.

Carib's positive response to the WICB's call for help was praised by the marketing chief.

``We are very heartened by the very, very strong public support we have seen in the current series and now, the very strong support that this Carib sponsorship demonstrates to the people of the Caribbean, the team and indeed the rest of the world,'' Dehring said.

``It is a message that says to the world that the Caribbean is fully behind our team and this is indeed our time and our game.''

West Indies captain Brian Lara, speaking on behalf of his team, compared the beer company's sponsorship with the rise of West Indies cricket and the progress of Trinidad and Tobago footballer Dwight Yorke. Lara concluded the comparison by saying that ``at this present time, Carib is dominated on the world market by Budweiser and many other beers. By the time, the World Cup is finished, it will be accepted. By the year 2000 when West Indies tour England, I'm sure they are going to be the most loved beer in the world.''

Lara and his team will begin the quest to put Carib and the Caribbean on the world stage on May 16 against Pakistan at Bristol.