Bermuda?s recently named national senior cricket squad is about to undergo a full fitness evaluation and assessment by Dr. Samuel Headley, one of the world?s top exercise physiologists and a current employee of the West Indies Cricket Board.

Dr. Headley, a Professor of Exercise Science at Springfield College in Massachusetts, specialises in the physiological analysis of cricket players and has been working with the West Indies senior squad for over three years.

During his visit to Bermuda he will put each member of the training squad through a full range of fitness tests and screening that will provide objective feedback on their current fitness levels.

?The tests are designed to provide information on the players fitness in a number of key areas,? said Headley, who flies in today.

?We will test aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, muscular strength as well as doing body composition testing. A key element of the work is that it is sport specific in that we are testing the athlete?s ability to perform tasks needed for their roles on the cricket field.?

Headley pointed out that the testing would also take into account the natural differences in the body types of each different member of the squad as well as acknowledging that the physical preparation for each player would vary according to their different skills and roles in the side.

?We will be providing each player with a complete assessment and analysis of the tests,? he said.

?From that analysis, we can then provide a schedule of specific workouts needed to get the player to the fitness targets they need to reach to be able to perform closer to their true potential.

?The national squad selectors and the coaching staff will also be given minimum fitness expectations for each player and a guide to how much a player can improve his fitness over the time before the next testing period.?

Meanwhile, the BCB are preparing the national squad for a busy 2004 season that will be highlighted by the hosting of the World Cup Qualifying ICC Americas Regional Tournament in Bermuda, provisionally slated for July.

The top three teams from that tournament automatically qualify for the 12-team ICC Trophy in Ireland in 2005 that decides which Associate nations are represented at the Cricket World Cup.

The 2007 World Cup is being hosted in the West Indies and the possibility, although slim, still exists that Bermuda will be called upon to host a World Cup game.

President of the BCB Reggie Pearman yesterday urged squad players to demonstrate an increased commitment to preparation over the coming months, arguing that the Board was now putting the opportunities for improvement into place and that it was up to the players to respond.

?The appointment of Dr. Headley to the national squad team is another stepping stone to success for our squad,? he said.

?The BCB continue to provide all the opportunity and support for our players to be at their best when it counts. It is now vital that the players and the public understand that compliance to the post-season work is a crucial factor in our future success. I look forward to seeing the results, but also to see a renewed sense of commitment and a genuine desire to improve during the winter training programme.?