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The gentleman's game may be returning to the friendly Games in a big way.

India's power of numbers may force Commonwealth Games authorities to once again put cricket on the agenda, as the sub-continent bids to host the 2010 Games.

Yesterday it was revealed that cricket was definitely more than likely out of the 2006 Games, but discussions could be in train with the International Cricket Council (ICC) for cricket's recall, as cricket-crazy India a nation of over a billion aim for New Delhi to host their biggest sporting event ever.

The other countries bidding are Singapore and Canada, and the venue will be chosen by the general assembly of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) in Jamaica in October or November next year.

For the next four to five years, it is very doubtful that it can be done because of a packed programme, said CGF chairman Mike Fennell in an interview yesterday.

The ICC feel the cricket calendar is packed already.

We try to ensure that the programme reflects the Commonwealth. Netball and cricket are team sports like that. It should be ideal with one women's and one men's competition. In India it is a sport that would guarantee crowds.

Only last week captains of cricket's Test-playing nations complained that the calendar was too full and they needed some down time for players to recharge their batteries.

Apart from netball, hockey and rugby are the other team sports on the programme for this year's Games which open tomorrow here in Manchester.

One-Day cricket was introduced at the last Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1998, but was scrapped for this year's and cricket is unlikely to make it for the 2006 Games in Melbourne, Australia, where basketball has been added.

In 1998, Barbados carried a number of West Indies players to the Games and reached the quarter-finals before being put out by eventual winners South Africa.

The Commonwealth Games started in 1930 as the Empire Games and this year's event, which ends on August 4, has attracted over 5 000 athletes from 72 nations in 17 disciplines.

It is estimated over 500 million people will view the Games via host broadcaster BBC.

© The Barbados Nation