world class cricket pitch were attacked as a waste of taxpayer cash.

They have already come under fire because drainage problems meant the $1.5 million running track had to be ripped up a third time.

Now Shadow Sports Minister Nelson Bascome has revealed that an Englishman has been hired to lay the cricket pitch -- even though Government spent thousands on expert training courses for two Bermuda groundsmen in the 1980s.

The new $46 million stadium complex, originally projected to cost just $9 million, has also been plagued with delays.

And a Government investigation cleared trustees chairman Donald Lines of "any impropriety'' after a controversy surrounding alleged ties with stadium landscaper Robert Duffy.

But Brenton Roberts, director of Youth and Sports, defended the latest accusation that the sports centre was wasting money.

And he applauded the appointment of "a noted authority'' to prepare a pitch suitable for international cricket matches.

Mr. Roberts said the process was so scientific that consultants had arrived in England yesterday with samples of Bermuda grass seeds for specialist tests.

He added: "The training that Mr. Bascome is talking about was given several years ago through a grant from the Ministry.

"But that training didn't encompass laying a turf wicket and simply revolved around the preparation of a test match pitch that had already been laid.

"The purpose of the exercise was to teach them about the proper preparation of a wicket for a game.

"It didn't teach the development of a wicket from scratch, digging the ground, preparing sub-strata soil and all that sort of technical detail.'' He said the two groundsmen, one no longer in Bermuda, travelled to Jamaica for the exercise.

And Mr. Roberts said advice was taken from cricket experts at the MCC, based at Lord's, before hiring the British consultant for the latest project.

"It's simply a fact that we need the best advice we can get so we don't make any mistakes,'' he added.

"Mr. Bascome has also claimed that some grass planned for the outfield is not conducive to cricket but that is premature.

"It's exactly why the seedlings have been taken to London. They are from grass which grows here in Bermuda and they have been tested in labs in Canada.

"So it's a very scientific process. We have not wasted taxpayers' money at all. In fact, we have been very thorough to make sure the procedure is correct.'' Mr. Roberts said the appointment was authorised by chief consultants Johnston Sport Architecture, based in Victoria, Canada.

But Mr. Bascome said: "That's just a convenient way of bypassing Bermudians.

"I understand that the English consultant liaised with local experts but the grass he is planning for the outfield is not suitable for cricket.

"We cannot afford to waste any more money on this project and it's not a level playing field for Bermudians.

"Firstly, taxpayers' money must not be squandered and secondly, Bermuda's specialised needs must be taken into account by anyone who comes in.

"But I find it reprehensible that Government would want to go and look at a consultant from England to come over here, where the conditions are so different and there are Bermudians capable of doing the job.'' Sports Minister Tim Smith added: "The training referred to wasn't quite enough to match the level of expertise we require right now.''