'Obviously this is not the strongest available squad that Bermuda can field.'
The Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) yesterday named two new faces and recalled four others to the senior national team that will travel to Trinidad early next month for a ten-day training camp.
Azeem Pitcher and Treadwell Gibbons Jr. will make their senior national team debuts while recalls Mackie Crane, Stefan Kelly, Daniel Morgan and Rodney (Picnic) Trott have also been included among a 14-member squad that departs for the Caribbean on April 9.
The full squad is as follows: Irving Romaine, Dean Minors, Dwayne Leverock, Kevin Hurdle, Lionel Cann, Hasan Durham, Kwame Tucker, Jekon Edness, Azeem Pitcher, Mackie Crane, Treadwell Gibbons Jr, Stefan Kelly, Daniel Morgan, Rodney Trott.
National team skipper Clay Smith will assist national coach Gus Logie on tour while El James has been retained as manager. However, the inclusion of Morgan ? who replaced the injured Saleem Mukuddem in Dubai last month ? as a player has necessitated the need for an alternative physiotherapist to accompany the squad on tour.
The Board have yet to confirm a captain for the tour.
And due to the unavailability of four key players, injuries, school and work commitments, Bermuda?s national squad again find themselves travelling abroad under strength.
?Obviously this is not the strongest available squad that Bermuda can field,? stated national coach Gus Logie in a written Press release.
Bermuda suffered a humiliating 5-0 whitewash in Dubai last month playing against United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Both Morgan and Trott were members of the Island?s victorious Americas Group Intercontinental Cup squad in Toronto last August, while Kelly toured Dubai last month.
Crane has been in and out of the senior national programme over the past several years.
Logie intends to use the upcoming excursion to the Caribbean as another stepping stone towards next year?s World Cup cricket spectacle.
?I am looking forward to the camp and working hard with the squad on a number of technical, mental and tactical issues,? he said.
?It does provide a great opportunity to continue to develop our players, provide experience for our younger squad members and follow the National Training Plan that we have implemented to get our team in the best state of readiness for the World Cup and beyond.?
The Island?s senior national cricket squad were originally scheduled to play four 50-overs contests and a sole 20-overs affair. However, coach Logie said those plans are currently under revision and new plans will be announced at a later date.
The main purpose of next month?s tour had originally been designed to prime the players for the 20/20 World Cricket Classic to be held at the National Sports Centre (NSC) late next month.
Those who will not participate in the upcoming tour are vice-captain Janeiro Tucker (Honeymoon), Ryan Steede (school commitments), Saleem Mukuddem (work commitments), George O?Brien Jr and Jim West (injury) and Stephen Outerbridge (school commitments).
Chris Foggo, Oronde Bascome and Jacobi Robinson were left out after failing to attend sufficient training sessions.
Bermuda have gone winless in their previous nine matches since qualifying for next year?s World Cup in the West Indies.