Moments after Janeiro Tucker had bettered Winston Reid?s record for the highest individual score by a Bermudian batsmen at the ICC Trophy by four runs, the former Somerset Cricket Club opening batsman was quick to pay homage to the Island?s stand-in skipper.

Tucker cracked 132 runs to propel Bermuda to the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies while also becoming the first local batsmen ever to score two centuries at the ICC Trophy Tournament.

Reid held the record for the highest individual tally (128) by a local batsmen for 23 years, achieving the feat against Malaysia in the 1982 ICC Trophy Tournament held in the UK in a record partnership of 211 runs with Gladston (Sad) Brown (100) for the first wicket.

Reid also served as national cricket team selector before stepping down from his post due to increasing work commitments earlier this year.

Barbados?born Reid represented Bermuda at the 1979, 82 and 86 ICC Trophy Tournaments.

?I think Janeiro showed that he is a leader not taking anything away from skipper Smith. Janeiro has captained the team for the better part and done a fantastic job,? Reid told .

?I know the Board wanted Janeiro to captain the team a few years ago but he was reluctant. But I think he has realised that he has now reached a stage of his life where he has to step up ? and he?s done so in a big way with the bat, ball and his leadership abilities.

?But records are meant to be broken and are something that has always been the least of my worries. If I ever worried about breaking records then I would?ve been the most selfish person in the world. Records are made to be broken like when I scored the most runs (for Bermuda ) in the ICC Trophy and then Clay (Smith) came along and scored more than me (725). That is cricket and something you have to aim for.

?Once you score a century then you would?ve done enough to help the team win. I never worried about my 128 because that was minor as far as I was concerned. What was more important about that innings is that I did what I had to do to help the team win.?

Reid scored 697 runs for Bermuda at the ICC Trophy at an average of 36.68 runs per innings. And, after being a part of Bermuda?s 1982 ICC Trophy squad that came within a whisker of qualifying for the World Cup, Reid, among many, was relieved to finally see the Island overcome the last hurdle and qualify for cricket?s premier showpiece.

?The players really deserve this and if you look at all of the ICC Trophy tournaments whenever only one team could qualify we came second. Then when two teams could qualify we came third. We have always missed it by one but now it is different and from the outset I always thought the guys had a good chance of qualifying,? Reid added.

?It?s good that the guys won and now a lot of hard work needs to be done. Now we are looking at travelling more and playing more international friendlies . . . this is a whole new ball game. I?m sure the whole Island is behind this team and I know in 2007 there might be 20 people left on the Island.

?This is great for the country and our hand has been forced because we now have international one-day status for the next four years. We have got international status and now we need to do whatever has to be done to complete the stadium (National Sports Centre) between now and the next World Cup because I would imagine we are going to get incoming tours.?

Reid also paid homage to Bermuda coach Gus Logie and team manager El James. James was also on Bermuda?s 1982 ICC Trophy squad, seizing astonishing figures of five for two in the same match Reid scored 128 against Malaysia at Wednesbury Ground in the UK.

?I?m glad for the coach (Logie) because I think a lot of people felt he was a failure with the West Indies team as coach. But it was the players that he had and not him,? Reid argued.

?He has got vast ability and he really knows how to get the best out of the players and for the short space of time that he has been here he was able to motivate those guys and turn them around. And the players spoke highly of him and so I think he has done wonders and you have to give him credit.

?And as far as for my good old friend El . . . El couldn?t go to the World Cup as a player but now he has managed a Bermuda team to the World Cup. And I am extremely happy and I?m glad for all of the guys.?

As for his record-breaking double century partnership in 1982 with Brown, Reid recalled: ?Sad (Brown) was an opening batsman that everybody said was too slow. But he actually reached his century before me. We were great partners and to this day we are still great friends.?