Stephen Outerbridge, the Bailey's Bay all-rounder and Bermuda Under-19 captain, has been proposed to enrol in the second class of the Shell Cricket Academy at the University of St George's, in Grenada.

Confirmation of Outerbridge's nomination was given yesterday by Robert Weekes, manager of the ICC Americas Region, and although the full class of 24 is not likely to be finalised until the middle of the month, the 18-year-old's prospects of joining his Bermuda Under-19 colleagues, Chris Foggo and OJ Pitcher, on overseas duty are all but guaranteed.

Foggo was chosen initially for one of the four places made available to Americas Zone players but instead will head off to South Africa later this month to take part in the academy at the University of Port Elizabeth, which runs for ten weeks.

It is feasible that he could attend both but Weekes discounted the notion in saying, "We're trying to address as much young potential as there is possible.

"He would have two bites at the cherry and we have a thousand kids out there who could possibly come to the academy.

"Having Chris and Steve attend these two academies, I think that Bermuda cricket should improve significantly. I think you'll see a catalyst taking place."

Pitcher, the Bermuda Under-19 vice-captain and the youngest player ever to represent the Island at the ICC Trophy last summer, will be playing league cricket in England with Pyrford of the Surrey County League. But before then figures to be part of Bermuda's plans for the Americas Cup, which will be staged in Argentina from March 9 to 16.

Outerbridge, whose stint in the Caribbean will last 12 weeks from the middle of May, hopes also to become a regular fixture for Bermuda, after a debut senior international tour for the 1999 Red Stripe Bowl resulted in him taking to the field in the role of a substitute fielder only.

"I really want to get back into the national squad and not be in and out," he said yesterday. "I think (the cricket academy) would be a wonderful opportunity, especially coming from Bermuda, because the level of cricket is not very high. At the academy, you will learn all the aspects of the game."

The brainchild of Dr Rudi Webster, the noted sports psychologist who has worked with the West Indies Test team, the Shell Cricket Academy is designed to prepare the brightest young talent in the region, from the ages of 18 to 23, for the international arena. The four modules of the programme include Technical and Mental Skills, Sports Sciences, Sports Management and Education.

Outerbridge, who revealed that he was briefed on the possibility of attending the academy by El James, president of the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control, added: "(The academy) will build all your attributes, like your mental approach to every game.

"You'll be physically able to cope with an international schedule, you'll be able to write out plans for your clubs to help their development of players behind you and even the players that are there now that are older than you and who are making mistakes that they've been making for years and years.

"It will help my club and my country. We want to go forward to make the World Cup, so the more players we get overseas playing against better competition, the better our cricket will get."

Once selected, it is definitely not a free ride, as Runako Morton, of the Leeward Islands, will attest. Morton is renowned as one of the most promising young batsmen to come out of Nevis, but he was kicked out of last year's inaugural academy class for rules violations.