Plans to have a Bermuda Cricket Board of Control youth development team compete in the First Division this season have officially been scrapped, Board president Reggie Pearman confirmed this week.

After national coach Mark Harper's concept was given the green light by club affiliates earlier this year, many in cricketing circles remained sceptical, insisting that the formation of such a team would undermine some club's junior programmes.

The development team was designed to offer some of the Island's top young players an opportunity to continue playing should they encounter difficulties in making the grade at their respective clubs.

They would have had the option of returning to their club team at any given time.

A last-ditch effort to salvage the plan evidently fell by the wayside despite the Board having extended the registration period to allow players another opportunity to sign up. The team were due to play PHC over the weekend.

However, Pearman remains confident that coach Harper's idea will become reality next season.

"Basically we encountered a lack of response from the clubs and everyone else concerned with it," said Pearman. "So we have scrapped it for this year but we will try and see what we can do with it next season.

"I think that we are going to have to discuss it a bit more because it is definitely an asset for the youngsters.

"If you have a player in your team who hasn't been chosen to play, then there is nothing wrong with that player coming to play for the developmental team. But I still think that it needs a little bit more organising.

"I'm still optimistic about it, and hopefully we can get it up and running next year."

During an earlier interview with The Royal Gazette, former Willow Cuts skipper Dexter Basden strongly opposed coach Harper's concept, stating that the development team would undermine some cricket club's youth programmes and that it was far more beneficial for younger players to play alongside their senior counterparts as opposed to playing just among their peers.