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Jamaica's 20-year-old middle order batsman Ricardo Powell has been drafted into the West Indies team for the World Cup cricket tournament which opens in England on May 14.

On Saturday, minutes after the sixth one-day international against Australia at Kensington Oval, veteran Carl Hooper pulled out of the team, and yesterday the West Indies selectors named Powell as his replacement in the 15-man squad.

``This is a great moment for me,'' said the former New Forest Primary and Junior High School and Holmwood Technical representative yesterday shortly after hearing the news of his selection.

``I am happy to be part of the West Indies team, it is a honour to represent the West Indies, and I hope to do my best for my country (Jamaica) and for the West Indies.''

According to Powell, who attends Mico College on a scholarship provided by Alcan Jamaica Limited, he was expecting a call, and he was waiting on a call.

``Based on my performance in the Busta Cup, I was always expecting a call. I did not know when, but I kept myself ready for it. I am just eager to go out there and do my best. I know it is going to be a big challenge, I have never played in England, I don't know the conditions, but it is an opportunity, and I am going to do my best.''

After representing Jamaica against Barbados last year in the Red Stripe Cup and then dropped after failing to distinguish himself, Powell was drafted into the national team after three matches in the Busta Cup this year, and after a moderate performance during which he scored 23 runs against the Windward Islands at Alpart, he impressed with two magnificent innings against Barbados at Kensington Oval.

In the first match, the last of the preliminary round, the attacking Powell, joining the action with Jamaica on three for three, blasted two sixes and 11 fours while scoring 80 off 119 deliveries before he was fourth out at 127 for four; and in the second match, the semi-finals, he went to bat with Jamaica on 25 for three and smashed three sixes and 17 fours while scoring 114 not out off 118 deliveries in his team's total of 206.

A brilliant fielder, Powell, the 1998 Jamaica Youth captain whose fairy-tale season included selection to the West Indies Board X1 and the West Indies A teams against Australia, is also a useful offspinner. His figures in the Busta Cup were: versus the Windward Islands 5-1-12-0, versus Barbados 34-11-75-3, versus Barbados 11-3-28-0 and 5-1-16-0.

Powell, like Olympic gold medallist Deon Hemmings and wicketkeeper Matthew Sinclair, is a product of Alcan's outreach programme, and among those who yesterday expressed delight following his selection was Pat Anderson - Community Relations Officer Sports and Youth Development at Alcan, and a member of the Jamaica Cricket Board of Control.

``I am bubbling,'' said the former Boys' Town and Manchester cricketer. ``I am happy, so happy you cannot believe it. I hope he can go in and do like Collie Smith.''

Also bursting with happiness yesterday was Shirley Samuda - the principal at New Forest Primary and Junior High School and a former St. Elizabeth cricketer.

``I think we are looking at a great West Indies cricketer in time to come,'' said Samuda. ``His selection is a good move by the selectors. It is a wise move. He is a young man with the potential to go far.''

Powell is one of four Jamaicans on the West Indies team. The others are Courtney Walsh, James Adams and Nehemiah Perry.