Top international cricket officials meet in Toronto on Monday to plan the way forward for the three amateur teams who will qualify for the Cricket World Cup in South Africa in February-March 2003.

Malcolm Speed, newly-appointed chief executive of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the 2003 Cricket World Cup executive director Dr Ali Bacher and the ICC's development manager Andrew Eade will work out strategy to ensure that the three qualifying teams - the Netherlands, Namibia and either Canada or Scotland - are best prepared to take on the world's top teams in southern Africa in just over 18 months' time.

The trio of officials will meet with senior management - captains, managers and coaches - from the above teams to work out strategy.

The ICC has already set aside $US500 000 (more than R4 million) to assist these teams' preparations - as well as those of another already qualified World Cup team, Kenya - and the three officials are to discuss the possibility of budgeting a further $US500 000 over the next financial year for a grand total of $US1-million in assistance.

The three officials are in Canada for the ICC Trophy tournament for amateur teams vying for the right to play in the 2003 World Cup. Netherlands and shock qualifier Namibia, who contested the Toronto final today, are automatic qualifiers for a World Cup pool that is likely to comprise Australia, Pakistan, India, England and Zimbabwe.

Scotland and Canada contest the third place playoff in Toronto on Tuesday for the right to join the other pool which is likely to comprise South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, New Zealand, Bangladesh and Kenya.

Dr Bacher said from Toronto: "It is vitally important that we devise a cricketing plan of action over the next 18 or so months to ensure that the qualifying teams are going to be pretty competitive at the 2003 Cricket World Cup. The three ways to help them are (a) to send them top cricket coaches with expertise at the highest level of limited overs international cricket, (b) to facilitate their top players attending established cricket academies in countries like South Africa, Australia, England and New Zealand, and (c) to set up tours for them.

"The International Cricket Council is to be commended for setting aside money to back these vital preparations."

Dr Bacher added that he had a few proposals to make to the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCB) with a view to fast-tracking near neighbours Nambia, who he praised for their extraordinary achievement in reaching the final of the ICC Trophy and thus qualifying for the 2003 World Cup.

Dr Bacher said he would discuss these proposals with the executive committee of the UCB when he returned later this week from Canada.

© 2003 CWC