Jonty Rhodes, South Africa's best loved cricketer, has been named as Patron of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 national volunteers programme.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 Executive Director Dr Ali Bacher launched the programme during a media function at the SuperSport Park in Centurion, Pretoria, on Monday September 2.

"We are hoping to select at least 3 000 volunteers countrywide who will act among others as ushers, car park attendants, information kiosk attendants, VIP assistants, media assistants and media accreditation assistants, queue busters, and magnetometer attendants," said Mr Herman Beetge, the project manager.

Successful applicants for the Volunteers 2003 programme will be trained and kitted by the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003.

The volunteers will not be paid.

Those who wish to offer their services must go to their nearest CWC stadium on September 14 to fill out forms which will be available between 08h00 and 13h00 that day.

The cities involved are Benoni, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Centurion, Durban, East London, Johannesburg, Kimberley, Paarl, Pietermaritzburg, Ladysmith, Port Elizabeth and Potchefstroom. He said positions were limited.

In introducing Jonty Rhodes as the Patron, Dr Bacher said: "The person we were looking for had to be a role model for all the different people of South Africa. He or she had to be somebody who appealed to both the youth and the elderly, who had excelled in his or her sporting code and who had played the game according to the rules. In addition this person had to have achieved international acclaim and, off the field, demonstrated impeccable behaviour.

"The unanimous choice was Jonty Rhodes."

Rhodes said he was honoured to accept the appointment. He praised would-be volunteers for giving up their valuable time in order to provide a service to their country.

In further explaining the application process, Mr Beetge said: "No application will be entertained without a means of identity. It is important that every applicant brings along a form of identification like an ID document, passport or driver's licence. We are looking for South African citizens of over 18 years of age, but we expect people from all walks of life to come forward and they will have an equal opportunity to be selected."

After they had completed application forms, a selection process would commence, including an official screening process by the Government security agencies and thereafter successful applicants would be informed.

Mr Beetge said it was also a prerequisite that all selected volunteers attend a two-day training session, deliver a service as a trained volunteer at a cricket match prior to the event. They must also be available for all the matches taking place in the stadium where they would work during the Cricket World Cup.

© World Cup Organising Committee