Ponting passes by unrecognised
Barbados Airport - I am writing this en route to St Kitts.
Airports during World Cups are fantastic places. They act as crossroads for the world's finest cricketers.
Today the Australia, England, Sri Lanka and New Zealand teams were all in the departure lounge on their way to .
Little groups of friends emerge. For example, Ed Joyce, Australian pair John Buchanan and Stuart Clark, and cricketer-turned-journalist Angus Fraser were spotted sharing Middlesex memories among the duty free.
But being a cricket star, even here in the cricket-mad West Indies, does not guarantee special treatment. One man was spotted in a long line at the gift shop - when he finally got to the front the shop assistant said "Are you a cricketer? I don't recognise you." It was .
A few days ago on the Test Match Special Blog I wrote about some of the fears expressed to me by many Bajans.
They felt the World Cup would not be an authentic West Indies cricket experience.
Some told me they were not going to come to the games because of all the rules and regulations imposed on them at the grounds.
Well, I have been seeking the reaction of the World Cup authorities.
The chairman of the Barbados organising committe Chris de Caires told me the organisers were doing everything to make the World Cup properly Caribbean.
Contrary to rumours, he said musical instruments had not been banned. He said drums and conch shells would be welcome at Barbados matches, although people would have to get permission in advance to bring them in.
While spectators are making their way to the ground they will be entertained by West Indian street performers and fed .
What's more, there will be music and entertainment inside the ground during breaks in play. There will even be mini-beaches among the party stand at the ground.
De Caires told me he wanted to make sure that people knew they were visiting the , not the Kennington Oval in London.
But he also told me one story which proves that the need to keep corporate interests happy is still on his mind.
The ICC will go to great lengths to stop "ambush marketing" - the practice whereby companies would hijack the World Cup to promote products which are rivals to the official sponsors of the event.
Before the warm-up matches at the 3Ws Oval he had to go round all the toilets putting tape over any brand names on the bathroom furniture.
Unfortunately one of the cleaning staff had obviously missed the brief about the dangers of ambush marketing.
She happened to be cleaning one night when she noticed lots of tape in the toilets and decided to remove it all so the toilets were properly cleaned.
Perhaps she has the right idea.
