Graham Strange, skipper of IFP Leg Trappers, believes that his troops can make more headway and earn a place in cricket's Premier Division next season if they pick up a few key bowlers.

Saying that the team of mostly ex-patriate players had exceeded all expectations this season by capturing the First Division Knockout championship on Sunday and finishing fourth in the league, Strange said the next step was gaining promotion to the top flight.

"It would be great next year to get promoted, we will sit down at the start of the season and promotion will probably be one of the goals - who knows if we can win the league or not?" he said.

"However, I should point out that we didn't join the First Division from the Commercial League to try to get into the Premier Division or to be the best in Bermuda. We joined because we wanted to enjoy our cricket more than we had been in the Commercial League for past seven seasons. Although it was enjoyable there we felt it was time to move on and play against the better players."

Like many observers, Trappers didn't expect such success so early, especially as they were rarely able to field their strongest team.

"If we find that we are a strong team and we can get promoted next season then it would be great, but if we don't and we continue to finish mid-table and have a good cup run then I think we would be satisfied once again," Strange said.

The skipper identified bowling as the area requiring most attention, saying there was a need to find foils for veteran spinner James Swan.

Aside from his left-arm deliveries, Trappers had very little ammunition to throw at opponents. Medium pacer James Kent gave some useful support but the others were seldom able to cause batsmen much concern.

"I think there is a big difference between the Premier League and the First Division and we would certainly need to strengthen our team if we were to compete in the Premier Division," Strange said. "I think our batting is good enough, we had seven players this season who scored 50s.

"Our bowling though is what concerns us. We are still heavily reliant on James Swan. Although we have James Kent who is a reasonable medium pacer, the rest of the bowling is really batsmen who only turn their arm over a little bit."

One thing in their favour is experience. Several players, including the skipper, played with Nationals before they folded.

"A few of us used to play for Nationals and we were well aware that we were able to compete, but until you have actually gone in there and won the odd game and competed against the best teams you are not actually sure," Strange said.

"We are very pleased with what we have done - to win the cup was a complete bonus for the boys. We honestly believed we could do that. It was great to beat Flatts, who had finished ahead of us in the league, and particularly great to beat Devonshire Rec., who had been promoted, in the final."

Asked who was their biggest surprise this season, the skipper pointed to opening batsman Chris Fleming.

"He has opened all year," he said. "He is a determined character and has scored more runs than anybody else in the team. I think he has about 340 with an average of just under 30. He is the only guy who has scored two half centuries for us.

"He has done extremely well. He is a right-handed bat. He doesn't bowl, he can't even hit the wicket. He, more than anybody else, has thrived on the competition in the First Division."

Whether or not they can make it to the promised land remains to be seen, but what is certain is that Trappers will give it their best shot.

"It's like everything else, whenever you have had a little success you want more and more," Strange said. "We are all going to be disappointed that the current season is about over and it's not even at the end of August yet. We are looking forward to next May and hopefully we can pick up one or two more players, with a couple of key bowlers we would be in good shape."