Bermuda Cricket Board allegedly ignored a recommendation some three years ago that national team skipper Clay Smith be sent overseas to undergo knee surgery.

Former national team coach Mark Harper said yesterday that Board officials were well aware of Smith?s health condition ? yet for reasons unknown to him turned a blind eye to the matter.

The skipper eventually led Bermuda to World Cup qualification in Ireland last summer but has seen limited international action since due to the bothersome knee which was eventually operated on in the US earlier this year.

Speaking from his homeland in Guyana, Harper told: ?I am very sorry to hear that Clay is still injured but I advised the Board in 2003 to send him to America to see a specialist, but they were not interested.

?Clay is a special talent that can put Bermuda on the map and always gave his best for the team during my time, and you have to invest in your players.?

Smith made his mark on the international scene in 1997, playing in the former Red Stripe Bowl in the Caribbean where he struck successive centuries against a Courtney Walsh-led Jamaica and Windward Islands.

Following his surgery this year, he?s hopeful he can return to playing by early August.

Meanwhile, Harper said he was pleased to see Bermuda?s dream of playing in the World Cup come to fruition.

?Clay and I often spoke of this and it was one of the motivating tools I used,? he said. ?And I?m glad to hear that things are moving in the right direction.

?The process started in our preparation for the Americas Cup in 2004 and the identifying of players to fill particular roles.

?Irving Romaine indicated he wanted to be part of the programme and displayed good leadership skills. He could have been counted on to give an honest opinion and often would have a quiet word with me. Young players OJ Pitcher and Delyone Borden, who openly said they were sorry to see me leave, were given the opportunity to develop their talent and potential.

?The plan then was to start the rebuilding process so come 2007, if Bermuda had qualified, they would have fresh, talented, young players ? but young players with some degree of experience at the international level.?

Harper said he had kept abreast of the national team?s inability to find a suitable pair at the top of the batting order.

?To date the team have still not found a successful opening pair and that is essential for the team,? he said. ?Gus Logie is a quality coach and he has been able to build on the foundation that I left and Bermuda should do well, but they must beat the minor teams and be very competitive with the Test teams.?

Bermuda are fresh off a successful tour of England and Guernsey where they won three of four matches played.

Harper added: ?The team must be able to score 200 runs against any opposition and defend the runs for 35 overs against Test teams. The middle order is very capable, especially if Clay is fit, but I think Janeiro Tucker is being wasted at number seven. He is too talented of a player to bat that low.?

Harper was also pleased to see fast bowler George O?Brien jr back in the national programme.

?It?s good to see George in the mix . . . he always had potential but kept getting himself in trouble.

?He should do well in the Caribbean. Sluggo (Dwayne Leverock) is a quality left arm bowler who is very proud of his performances and is going to be a major player, providing he can bring his best fitness to the Caribbean.?

And in order for Bermuda to be successful in the World Cup, Harper said they would have to possess good all-round strength.

?The team must bat deep with number 11 capable of scoring 20 or 25 runs if possible, and they must also be able to bat out the overs,? he added.

?The pitches here (Caribbean) will generally be good for batting with some pace and bounce so batsmen must be capable of dealing with these conditions.

?Bermuda must also have five bowlers who can bowl ten overs and a couple of back-up bowlers. Good spinners will always be effective, but they must also have the temperament to come back after a few big hits.?