Lloyd?s Cricket Club begin their tour of Bermuda tomorrow when they take on a BCB Select eleven at the National Sports Centre.

The English side will play three matches over the next eight days against a variety of teams made up from the Bermuda national squad who have entered the final stages of their preparation for the World Cup qualifying series which gets underway on local soil in early July.

Local cricket followers believe the Lloyd?s club will provide a stiff test for the national squad, with the visiting contingent containing a number of players who have earned representative honours at county and England schoolboy level.

Yesterday Board treasurer Neil Speight was clearly enthusiastic about the tour, and urged Bermuda?s cricketing fraternity to come out and watch proceedings at the National Sports Centre.

?The Lloyd?s visit is crucial to our World Cup preparations and it should provide some really exciting cricket ? particularly for the night games under lights scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday next week,? he said.

?They have on paper a very strong squad. This was not done by accident ? it has always been our intention that this tour, as precursor to the World Cup qualifying tournament, would be a real challenge for our national team players.

?I really do hope that the public comes down and supports the national team starting this Saturday ? even if it is only to warm up their voices for the football on Sunday!?

The Board announced also that they were in the process of obtaining a gaming licence to allow Crown and Anchor to be played at the ground for all four days of cricket while Four-Star Pizza, The Curry House and Becks beer will be running outlets at the ground throughout.

Tickets for the first three games will cost $10 while the fourth and final game, which will feature the full national first eleven, are selling at $15.

First Division team Legtrappers CChave also been granted a fixture against the visitors on Thursday, June 24.

Saturday June 19: versus BCB Select (11.00 a.m.)

Wednesday June 23: versus BCB Development XI (Day/Night, 3 p.m.)

Thursday June 24: versus Legtrappers CC (Day/Night, 3 p.m.)

Saturday June 26: versus Bermuda National Team (11.00 a.m.)