The Bermuda national cricket team has completed part one of their mission, but what lies ahead will be the ultimate challenge. April 28th — May 5th Bermuda will host Italy, Oman, USA, Nepal and Uganda in a round robin tournament with so much at stake. This tournament is the challenge of all challenges.From the T20 and the three 50 over games what have we learned? First of all we are still some ways off from where we want to be in both the batting and the bowling. Our batting depends too heavily upon Janiero Tucker, David Hemp and Stephen Outerbridge. These three seem like the only ones who can score big runs and consistently. The other players in the team need to start putting together some big scores and more consistently.In the bowling department we have a major problem. Malachi Jones is the lone strike bowler, supported by young Gregg Maybury, in a team that has four off spinners and one seamer. Outside of Jones and Tucker the team lacks wicket takers. In one day cricket the objective is to keep the runs down, but if you are not picking up wickets along the way your bowlers will get pulverised to all parts of the field. Stefan Kelly is a must for this tournament. His experience as a senior bowler will bring some much needed help to an ordinary bowling attack.Delray Rawlins is another option that the selectors must think long and hard about. Delray is young, but good, and ready for the challenge. His ability to turn the ball away from the right hand bat gives the bowling attack some much needed variety. He would need a good two solid weeks of coaching under the guidance of Dwayne “Sluggo” Leverock to assure that he is ready to fire on all cylinders come tournament time. However, the question is are the selectors, coaches and captain bold enough to pick him? In my eyes he is a must especially since most of our games are most likely to be played at the National Sports Centre on a wicket that gives spin bowlers’ lots of assistance.The wicket keeping situation is another headache. In Jekon you have the best wicket keeper on the island, but his batting has not been up to par. In Jason you have the second best wicket keeper and his batting is always steady, but at times can be a little slow for 50 over cricket. The big question that looms is will the selectors take both wicket keepers, or just one? If they opt for one, do you take the best wicket keeper or do you take the one who can also score you runs consistently?Another glowing problem from this past tournament is the players’ fitness level. Yes we are out of season, but we have had all off season to address fitness levels. The players will have to be training four to five days a week for the next three weeks to get themselves mentally and physically prepared.I challenge the coaches to take these players to limits they have not been or seen before mentally because that is the one area we lack tremendously as a country. We have to know what we are about to be up against. These teams are coming to Bermuda and will do and say whatever it takes to win. Our players must be wise and calm out in the middle in the heat of the battle because I promise you it will get rough and nasty from time to time as this is war.Fellow cricketers, take it from me this tournament will be like no other, this is not just a game of cricket. So much is at stake, this is country vs country, prepare yourselves for an all-out war because every last team will be gunning for you. So I urge you and encourage you put your work in and more so that when you step onto that field you are 100 percent ready for war because that’s what it will be out there.