Bermuda Cricket Board president Reggie Pearman is well aware that the standard of local cricket has slipped dramatically through, what he argues, were years of "careless" neglect.

And although he remains determined to breathe life back into what some believe is a dying game in this country, Pearman warned that there was no quick fix - such is the depth of the system's shortcomings.

It would take a herculean effort on the part of the Board and the clubs, he said, if Bermuda was ever going to climb back up the international ladder.

"When we came on board back in 1998, under then president El James, to replace the old regime, we found that many aspects of cricket on the Island, especially the youth programme, had been allowed to lapse almost completely," said Pearman.

"We are now, inch by inch, trying to turn this around but it will take time and patience as well as the right combination of determination and discipline on the part of everybody involved in cricket."

Although Pearman was prepared to admit that administrative inertia at the Board over the last 20 years has in no small part contributed to the stagnation of Bermuda cricket and that even his regime had had its problems, he believed also that local clubs must share a significant portion of the blame, as well as shouldering the burden of reviving the Island's cricketing fortunes.

"Everybody who knows me understands that I speak my mind and I really do feel that it is the general apathy to progress and change amongst many of our clubs which is the main reason why our cricket is suffering at the moment," he argued.

"There are a number of clubs in the eastern parishes who work hard and make sacrifices and not surprisingly they usually make up the nucleus of our national teams. Why is it that they can get organised and show some initiative while a number of clubs in the western and central regions have been so lackadaisical?"

"We need an injection of will into our club system. I know, having done it for years myself, that administration and fund raising at a club level is tiring and a significant sacrifice but that is what we need if we are going to get anywhere.

"We need leaders and innovators at clubs who are prepared to make sacrifices and expand their junior programmes and improve their practice facilities."

"I want and need more dialogue with the clubs," he continued. "I am here and I want to help. But we all need to be focused on how we can improve."

Pearman pointed to the enthusiasm and tireless work ethic of other increasingly successful emerging cricket nations as reason for Bermuda's inadequacies. He dearly hopes that the cricketing community will learn from them and follow their lead.

"Other new teams, particularly in Africa, spurred on by the re-emergence of South Africa as a major cricketing force, have pumped a lot of time and money into the game's development. They have established academies and their junior programmes are getting stronger and stronger.

"Bermuda has not adapted and although we have to compete locally with the growing influence of American sports, we should not have fallen so far behind."

The president also addressed a wide range of more specific problems which he acknowledged were hindering the all round development of the domestic game.

These included the format of the local leagues, the poor standard of many pitches and practice facilities, the shortage of local qualified coaches or any purpose built national cricket academy as well as the dearth of high quality touring teams venturing to the Island.

All these issues, insisted Pearman, were recognised by the Board and were being addressed. But he conceded that unless a "cricket loving millionaire drops out of the sky and gives us the cash injection we need," there is going to be no overnight improvement.

"I understand the grievances that many who follow cricket in Bermuda have," he said.

"I realise that we play too much limited overs cricket in Bermuda. And we are going to have to make some adjustments because as of next year Bermuda will hopefully be competing in an Inter Continental tournament organised by the ICC in which will have to play three-day cricket.

"We are thinking about dropping a cup competition and introducing two-day cricket split over two weekends, but no decision has been reached as yet. But something will have to give because we cannot pluck guys from limited overs cricket and shove them into an international three-day game."

"A national academy with indoor and outdoor facilities would be ideal," he continued," but it is a question of selling the idea to Government or the business community. But we do need it."

On the subject of Bermuda pitches, Pearman agreed that there was significant room for improvement at most club grounds and pointed out that it was no accident that two of the best wickets on the Island, at Somerset and St. David's, were prepared by full-time groundsmen.

"We have negotiated for Andy Roberts (the former West Indies fast bowler and now a leading groundsman in the region) to come to Bermuda later in the year to hold seminars with our groundsmen to educate them properly."

"But the impetus has to come from the clubs," he warned," who need to take greater responsibility to make sure their wickets are the best they can be. Too many are underprepared."

Pearman was keen to point out, however, that there had been some progress, such as the establishment of a trust fund to send Bermuda's young elite players away for a season of cricket overseas. He remained determined that the next generation of talented cricketers would not be recklessly squandered.

"Our treasurer at the Board is doing a yeoman job in trying to get the private business community on board to sponsor our young players. We are trying to be more forceful in schools as well. Hopefully the fund will continue and will grow significantly because it is crucial we invest in our youth and keep them going.

"But everybody must contribute to this effort and there must be a uniformly strong will running throughout the cricket community."