Just hours after receiving a two-match ban for public comments he made towards umpire Richard (Red) Burrows, former top all-rounder Noel Gibbons was chosen to captain a Rest of the World Select XI on a tour of Australia, New Zealand and Africa from November 28 to December 20.

It will be the first time Gibbons ? the first batsman to surpass 1,000 runs in the Eastern Counties ? has had the privilege of leading some of the world?s former top cricketers since doing so in 1994.

Gibbons apparently had charges of hurling abusive language towards the umpire during the ill-tempered August 27 Premier Division KO Cup clash at Sea Breeze Oval squashed.

However, a Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) disciplinary committee did not take comments the former Bailey?s Bay and St.George?s? Cup Match star made to this newspaper lightly.

Gibbons will now have to sit out Bay?s opening two league fixtures next season.

He has already been named to a local select that will compete at next month?s Antigua and Barbuda Independence Cricket Festival in Antigua.

He will then jet off to London on November 27 to meet up with some of his Rest of the World Select XI team -mates before making the long flight Down Under on November 28.

The team, yet to be announced, is scheduled to compete in one day matches in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Morocco, Papua New Guinea and South Africa.

Gibbons first joined ranks with the Rest of the World Select 22 year ago on an invitation from former West Indies Test star batsman Alvin Kallicharan.

Over the years Gibbons, 50, has travelled the globe along with cricket greats such as Collis King, Neil Foster, Greg Ritchie and Greg Matthews.