met with Bermuda Cricket Board of Control officials on Tuesday night to discuss that possibility, The Royal Gazette can confirm.

The club withdrew from competition last March because of a lack of interest amongst players. But now, less than a year later, there are plans afoot to have the one-time league champions return to active participation.

"We're definitely interested and it has been discussed,'' Barry Souza, chairman of the club's sports committee, confirmed yesterday.

Neil Speight, a player with Commercial Division team Forties, has been one of the key figures in the plan to return. He, in the capacity of representative for the club, and official Charles Roberts met with board officers two days ago.

Nationals sent the board a letter recently expressing their interest in returning and they received a letter back from the governing body inviting them to a meeting. According to Souza, the meeting went well.

Efforts to contact BCBC president Ed Bailey were unsuccessful.

Whether the club returns could depend on how successful they are in getting former players like Jason Lewis, Mark Ray, John Ray and Bruce Perinchief to rejoin the club. The four left to join Devonshire Rec. last season when it appeared Nationals would again struggle to get sufficient numbers out.

Perinchief has gone on to gain selection to the national team while the other three are on the fringe as is Darrin Lewis, a former national youth team captain, who has already played for Bermuda at senior level.

"Jason, Mark and John were not really happy about playing if there were going to be guys there making up the numbers,'' Souza told The Royal Gazette while confirming the team's withdrawal almost a year ago. "They didn't really want to leave -- their hearts are at Nationals and they said that -- but they do want to play at a high standard.'' Under captain Darrin Lewis, who is presently studying abroad, the club regained the Central Counties Cup three years ago, which enabled them to qualify for the Benson and Hedges Champion of Champions title for the first time. In 1991, the team finished fifth in the 16-team league and in 1992 they settled for a mid-table finish after being in the top three for most of the season.

There is talk within the BCBC that the 1994 season could return to the `Super Eight', which would mean Nationals, if they are accepted, playing in the lower division. That would be a key factor in persuading the best of their young players to return.

Souza is known to be in favour of a return to the `Super Eight', which would enable the club to groom a few youngsters.

Nationals' place was taken in the Premier Division last season by new entries PHC and there is every indication that they intend to remain in the more competitive BCBC league instead of returning to the Commercial League, which they won for the first time in 1991.

BRUCE PERINCHIEF -- During his final days with Nationals.