Australia will defend their title in the Caribbean in 2007

Recent media reports suggested Australia were on standby to take over as hosts following concerns about preparations in the Caribbean.

ICC president Ehsan Mani dismissed the reports as pure speculation.

"I want to emphasise strongly that it will be held in the West Indies," Mani said on Friday.

Mani said the ICC would next week sign the host country agreement with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

He added: "The governments of the islands are going to be making a huge investment in infrastructure.

"There will be a close partnership between the ICC and the West Indies board."

The report in question, published in Melbourne newspaper The Age, prompted World Cup organisers and Cricket Australia to quash the possibility of a venue switch.

"The ICC has been expressing quite a great deal of confidence in the Caribbean's ability to host the CWC 2007," said Chris Dehring, managing director of the tournament.

"We have been working closely with the management of the ICC to put in place everything that is required for the CWC 2007."

We are still 42 months away from the event and we expect that there will be a gradual build-up of momentum in individual countries Chris Dehring CWC 2007 managing director

Cricket Australia chairman Bob Merriman swiftly denied claims he had told state administrators of significant fears over the the tournament within the ICC.

"Cricket Australia [has] contractual arrangements in place that would preclude it having the 2007 World Cup in any case," he said.

Worries have been raised widely over the quality of stadiums and infrastructure in the Caribbean, although several new grounds have been built in the last two years.

WICB president Teddy Griffith added: "We are confident that as a nation we have the capacity to deliver on our obligation."

Meanwhile, the ICC board, presently meeting in Barbados, has ratified the decision to extend the number of teams at the World Cup from 14 to 16.

Although the tournament is expected to be cut to four weeks from this year's six, with four groups of four teams, logistics would be studied before finalising the format.

ICC freezes Cup cash

The ICC also decided to set up a panel of security consultants to try to prevent last-minute pull-outs by touring sides over security concerns.

"What we are trying to avoid is countries pulling out without actually taking into consideration the actual situation in a country," Mani said.