Nearly half the players invited to take part in the Bermuda Cricket Board’s new Elite Players League have failed to accept the invitation.With less than three full days to go before Thursday’s 5pm deadline, 34 of the 70 players selected for the new top tier still haven’t told Bermuda Cricket Board if they intend on playing.The list includes the likes of promising youngsters Kamau Leverock, Christian Burgess and Joshua Commissiong, as well national squad members Kevin Tucker, Justin Pitcher, OJ Pitcher and Kevon Fubler.Following Bermuda’s relegation to Division Three the Elite Player League has taken on added importance, especially as it will concentrate on Twenty20 cricket this season.The national team’s next commitment are the Twenty20 World Cup Regional Qualifiers in Florida in July, with the top two teams, plus Canada, earning a spot at the global qualifiers in Dubai next March.Twenty20 cricket, which has seen it’s World Cup expanded from 12 to 16 teams, now represents the Island’s only chance of appearing on the world stage, and head coach David Moore wants to use the Elite League as a means of selecting Bermuda’s best players in that version of the game.Given that St David’s have dominated Twenty20 cricket on the Island in recent years, it would seem sensible to assume that their players would want to take part. However, while Lionel Cann and Sammy Robinson have both signed up, so far their team-mates, Justin Pitcher, –OJ Pitcher, Shea Pitcher and Loren Marshall have all opted not to do so.There has also been no word from the likes of Deunte Darrell, Oronde Bascome, Janerio Tucker or Shannon Rayner.The Elite Players League will get the 2011 cricket season –under way with four matches played over two days on the weekend of May 7 and 8. There will be six rounds of matches in the new league, with a final then being played under lights at the National Sports Centre on –Friday, July 1.Missing players: Cleveland Allan Douglas Jr, Mackih McGowan, Dennis Musson Jr, Ramar Simmons, Makai Young. Flatts VRC Regino Smith. PHC Khiry Furbert, Kamau Leverock, Kevin Tucker. Southampton Rangers Jaloni Albouy, –Shannon Rayner, Janeiro Tucker. –St David’s Loren Marshall, Justin Pitcher, OJ Pitcher, Shea Pitcher. –St George’s Oronde Bascombe, Christian Burgess, Mishael Paynter, Rudell Pitcher, Detroy Smith. –Somerset CC Joshua Commissiong, Jordan DeSilva, Kamel Easton, Kwasi James, Marcus Johnson, Reid Jones, Shaquille Jones, Azeem Pitcher. Western Stars McLaren Lowe, Tre Manders, Justin Robinson. Willow Cuts Deunte Darrell, Kevon Fubler, Chris Kawaley.