With their preparation severely hampered by the non-arrival of virtually all of their luggage in Jamaica over the weekend, Bermuda?s under-23 national cricket squad begin their TCL West Indies Under-19 Championship campaign against Barbados today.

The majority of the team?s cricket kit failed to make the connecting flight in New York on Saturday and has only arrived in dribs and drabs since then ? ruling out the possibility of any comprehensive training.

Coach Allan Douglas said yesterday he was ?disappointed? by the logistical hiccup, but insisted that the players were in ?good spirits? ahead of their first practice session yesterday afternoon.

?It has not been the best start to our tour,? he said.

?But the guys have been doing a little physical work and getting used to the intense heat that we?ve got down here. Their attitude has been good and we?re all looking forward to the one-dayers getting underway.?

With a number of Bermuda?s top under-23 players deciding to stay at home, Douglas said he did not have high expectations in terms of Bermuda?s results, but hoped a number of the teenage cricketers would gain ?valuable experience? ahead of the under-19 Americas Championship next summer.

?Obviously it is extremely frustrating that we don?t have many of our best players down here,? he said.

?And bearing that in mind, nobody should expect anything sensational from us. But there are guys in the squad like skipper Jekon Edness and Dion Stovell who we really hope will push on over the course of the tournament while there are other guys who have now been given a chance to show what they can do in the absence of some of the more senior under-23 cricketers.?

Bermuda continue their schedule against hosts Jamaica on Wednesday and the Leeward Island on Thursday.

The semi-final and final are scheduled for the weekend before the tournament converts to a three-day format next week when Bermuda will play three matches in quick succession against Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and the Leeward Islands.

Meanwhile, Bermuda Cricket Board chief executive Neil Speight yesterday reiterated his disappointment with the absent players, who include OJ Pitcher, Delyone Borden, Stephen Outerbridge and Mackie Crane, and intimated that if Bermuda performed poorly in this tournament, the Island might not be invited back again by the West Indies Cricket Board.

?It really is upsetting that we are not sending out strongest team to this very important regional event,? he said.

?We have been working very hard on our relationship with the WICB and doors are just now starting to open. But if we continue to spurn opportunities like this one, we are seriously jeopardising the likelihood of our future involvement.?

Despite his frustration, like coach Douglas, Speight was keen to dwell on the positive.

?There is of course, to use a horrible cliche, a silver lining to every dark cloud,? he said.

?Arnold Manders, our chairman of selectors, is busy thinking about a schedule for the under-19s, who have a big commitment next summer with the Americas Championship. With the big guns not available, hopefully some of the younger guys can step up to the plate and derive some benefit out of a very high quality tournament.?: J.Edness (captain), D.Stovell, T.Gibbons Jnr, L.Marshall, L.Caines, K.Butterfield, S.Raynor, A.Pitcher, A.Douglas Jnr, J.Foggo, D.Brangman, S.Kelly, B.Phipps, G.O?Brien, T.Williams