THE Red Stripe Bowl got underway in the Caribbean this week minus Bermuda - but there is a chance that the island could be readmitted to the limited-overs competition as early as next year.

There was no place in this year's tournament for Bermuda, the United States or the Cayman Islands, who have all taken part in the past, but Canada are involved as are a team from the University of the West Indies for the first time.

But according to former Bermuda Cricket Board of Control president El James, who recently held talks with WICB president Wes Hall, the West Indies are considering restructuring the Bowl and other tournaments.

And those changes could open the way for the return of Americas region countries like Bermuda, who also missed out on the Bowl last year.

For now, the Bermuda national squad is facing a lengthy lay-off from international cricket and BCBC president Reginald Pearman confirmed that no further competitive events are on the calendar for the senior squad this year and no incoming or outgoing tours.

Pearman added that had an invitation for the Bowl been received, there would probably have been insufficient time to prepare a team.

The senior national team were last active in the Americas Cup in Argentina in March - an event which saw many players originally selected to the squad withdrawing at the 11th hour for various reasons, leaving the Board to add late replacements rather than face the embarrassment of having to pull out at the last minute.

Former BCBC president El James, who recently returned from the Americas Regional Under-15 tournament in Florida where he met with current WICB president Wes Hall, said this week that no real negative should be read into Bermuda being unwilling to accept any invitation for the Red Stripe Bowl if one was to be received for this year. "Definitely not," James said. "I agree with our president Mr. Pearman wholeheartedly that nobody can prepare for a tournament at a late stage, there has to be planning and early communication.

"However that doesn't say that there is a bad relationship between the West Indies Cricket Board and the Americas region, it's just that everybody has some issues right now. I think they (WICB) have some in particular they have to solve and when they are settled I think you will see things in the area go forward," said James.

"The fact that nobody in the Americas Region participated in the Red Stripe last year is no reason for individuals to jump up and down and make noise.

"The West Indies Cricket Board under Hall are restructuring and there are some things they are looking at and I think at the end, when all is completed, it's going to benefit themselves and the entire region at large. But we all need to be patient and not jump to conclusions.

"When I was president of the BCBC we had talks with representatives from the WICB to bring the region closer together and the only way we are all going to survive and continue to develop that goal is to get everybody involved in tournaments together.

"I think the West Indies realise that and the region also, it's just a matter of working out the mechanics of it with ICC. I don't think it's too far off when we will see some real good things coming as a result of this joint effort.

"As a matter of fact, look at our under-15 squad and their success in the Florida regional tournament where they scored an emphatic victory, you will probably see them invited to similar tournaments run by the West Indies and there remains the possibility that invitations could be extended for them to play in other international tournaments."

The island had been expected to be welcomed back into the Red Stripe Bowl this year after missing the event a year ago, reportedly balking at the West Indies Cricket Board's move to dramatically increase registration fees.

A year ago, the BCBC protested at the WICB's decision to raise the cost of registration by around 50 percent, with fees being hiked from $27,000 to $40,000, and the dispute wasn't resolved.

It is understood that it was Bermuda's objection that directly led to the WICB neglecting to offer an invitation to the island.

Pearman said Bermuda had not received any correspondence from the West Indies Board at all regarding this year's Red Stripe Bowl.

"We really have not heard what

Turn to Page 14 they were doing about involving any teams in the Americas region this year, but the truth of the matter is that even had we got an invitation we probably wouldn't have ventured into the thought about entering after getting a notice which would have been so late," said Pearman.

"The West Indies Cricket Board have so many financial concerns and I guess they will be going ahead and including their normal teams."

When Bermuda were left out last year it was another blow to the national squad, following closely on their failure to land a top-three spot at the ICC Trophy tournament in Canada.

Bermuda's elimination cost them the opportunity to qualify for the World Cup, and to be afforded a one-third share of a $1-million jackpot.

The previous year Bermuda celebrated their first ever Red Stripe Bowl victory after downing the Cayman Islands.