National cricket coach Mark Harper?s contract with the Bermuda Cricket Board expires at the end of August ? although the former Guyanese first class player yesterday confirmed that he would not be making any decision on his future until Bermuda?s international schedule is complete.

Harper told that to comment in any way on the issue would give rise to ?unhelpful speculation? in the media and the Island?s cricketing fraternity and deflect attention unnecessarily away from the ?significantly more important issue? of the national squad?s preparations.

?What I am focusing on is making sure the team is ready for the upcoming tournaments ? anything else is immaterial to me at this stage,? he said.

?I have not really given a seconds thought to what is going to happen in August. This year is a very big year for Bermuda cricket and I am concentrating solely on putting all my energies into the national team and my job in general. When all that is finished, of course I will have to sit down and evaluate my position, but now is simply not the time to speculate.?

Board President Reggie Pearman was also somewhat guarded on the issue, stating that although he is well aware that Harper?s contract is drawing to a close, nothing has yet been decided.

?The situation is under review at the moment,? he said.

?We have not signed off on anything one way or the other. We know that his contract does expire at that time and we are dealing with the issue at a Board level right now.?

Opinion over Harper?s performance during his three years at the helm is clearly divided.

Although criticised in some quarters for his supposed inability to motivate and inspire national team players, those familiar with his work behind the scenes at the Board know him as a dynamic thinker on the game who has played a crucial part in reforming the structure of Bermudian cricket.