The 16 teams ö including the four top finishers in last year's ICC Trophy tournament for non-Test countries ö have been divided into four groups, leading to semifinals for which only group winners would qualify.

There would then be play-offs for gold, silver and bronze medal places. Barbados Cricket Association president Tony Marshall confirmed yesterday that Barbados would be participating as part of the overall team of the Barbados Olympic Association (BOA) which is financing the trip.

He said a preliminary list of 18 players had already been submitted to the Games organisers. The final squad would ``probably comprise'' 16 players and three officials.

``Like all other sports, we were asked to get names of our participants in by a certain date but, unfortunately, our selectors Charlie Griffith, Joel Garner and Stephen Farmer have been out of the island recently at one time or another,'' Marshall said. ``We have supplied 18 provisional names and I hope the final 16 would be finalised at a selection meeting next week.''

Matches start September 12, prior to the end of the English league season in which several Barbados players, including captain Philo Wallace, are engaged. The BCA would first have to ascertain their availability.

As with all other international games, such as the Olympics, the Pan-American Games and the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, only individual countries are recognised, eliminating any West Indies team.

Trinidad and Tobago did not enter a cricket team while Guyana withdrew its entry recently for financial reasons. The individual Leeward and Windward Islands do not qualify because they do not have either first-class or International Cricket Council (ICC) associate status.

Only England of the Test-playing countries has decided not to send a team since itÊclashes with the culmination of its season.

There is also a clash that affects India and Pakistan who are scheduled to contest the third annual Sahara Cup in Toronto, Canada, on precisely the same dates as the Commonwealth Games.

The Indian Board is reportedly trying to have the dates for the Sahara Cup shifted but organisers of the heavily-sponsored tournament have baulked at the suggestion. If the schedules remain, the full India team would go to Toronto and the ÎA' team to Kuala Lumpur.

The draw for the Commonwealth Games is:

Group A: Barbados, Jamaica, Malaysia, Sri Lanka.

Group B: Australia,ÊCanada, India and fourth team to be announced (replacing Guyana).

Group C: Bangladesh, Northern Ireland, South Africa, Zimbabwe.

Group D: Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland.