WHEN the World Rugby Classic was first played in Bermuda in 1988, it was a fun-loving tournament with the players not taking things too seriously. But since then the Classic has evolved into a ferociously-fought affair ? in fact too much so claim some observers.

But when the inaugural 20-20 World Cricket Classic is played in Bermuda in April, it is not going to gradually grow from a light-hearted competition to a serious "winners takes all" attitude. Rather it is going to be a hard-fought affair right from the very first ball. So said Keith Pont, the former Essex player and CEO of the Keep Fit Foundation which is the organising body behind the 20-20 Classic.

Pont, who flew into Bermuda this week for the official launch of the 20-20 World Cricket Classic, said: "When I spoke to some of the players (from India) on the phone a week ago their comment to me was 'we are coming to lift the trophy'. This is about them coming here to perform. This is not about them just coming for a jolly. They want to come here and win. The South Africans have said it as well as the New Zealanders and I know the West Indies began to change their side when they started to see the quality of the cricketers who are coming. It is going to be quite something. The number of quality players is extraordinary. We have Ian Healy coming and I am really pleased about that. He is the world record holder as far as wicket keeping is concerned ? he is the most amazing wicket keeper I have seen in my lifetime."

While Bermuda are not allowed to play in the World Rugby Classic anymore, the island's national cricketers are an integral part of the 20-20 World Cricket Classic. In fact Bermuda's national team open up the tournament at the National Sports Centre against the West Indies on April 23rd.

And Pont will be cheering on the host country.

He said: "It (Bermuda versus the West Indies) is something I am looking forward to. I hope that Bermuda beat the West Indies in the first game ? I would love to see them win. That would throw a spanner in the works for the whole tournament!"

Playing against the likes of the West Indies, India, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand will be "a great test" for Bermuda's players, said Point adding that with the 20-20 Classic along with the 20-20 Stanford tournament in Antigua in the summer it will be a great sounding board for the island's team before going off to the West Indies in a year's time for the World Cup.

Sports Minister Dale Butler said: "This is indeed a banner year for Bermuda cricket. Following our unprecedented qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007, cricket has seen the Government provide its unparalleled support of $11 million over the next four years to aid the World Cup campaign and the development of cricket, with a firm intent to see our national team qualify for Cricket World Cup in 2011."

Of the 20-20 Classic in April and the quality of players who are flying in for it, Butler said: "It will provide our national team with exposure to some of the world's most skilled cricketers and will leave a legacy for the future development of cricket."

Pont said that he was sure that in "five to 10 years time there will be a 20-20 World Cup".

He added: "And Bermuda is at the forefront of showing these other nations in the world how this game can be played."

Pont said that two giant state-of-the-art scoreboards are been flown in for the Classic and yesterday technicians arrived on the island to start the preliminaries of putting in a non-turf pitch.

"They want this non-turf pitch to perform as good as any turf pitch out there," Pont said.

And Bermuda will be able to keep the non-turf pitch but Pont was unsure of whether the scoreboards will be staying in Bermuda permanently.

International umpires will also be coming in for the Classic to work alongside and help upgrade the skills of Bermuda's umpires.

Tickets went on sale this week and Pont said it would be too early to see how the sales are going from around the world.

Whole Government is the main sponsor of the 20-20 Classic putting in a million dollars, Pont also said there were a number of other sponsors including the Bank of Bermuda and the Bank of Bermuda Foundation.