St. David's wicketkeeper-batsman Chris Foggo is off to South Africa in the new year to take part in a cricket academy, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

Details were sketchy at press time but Foggo's family confirmed last night that the former youth international was all set to head off in January for “the motherland” where he will be welcomed into an academy set up under the auspices of the United Cricket Board of South Africa.

Bermuda Cricket Board of Control are said to be firmly behind the move to advance the career of Foggo but president El James was unable to be reached for comment last night.

Foggo, who has been omnipresent in the St. David's senior side during the past four seasons and represented St. George's in the 1999 Cup Match, was also one of four Bermuda players to be invited to play for the Americas team that competed in the Youth World Cup in Sri Lanka early last year.

The South African Plascon Cricket Academy is in its fifth year of existence and has spawned players of the quality of Lance Klusener, Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher, now stalwarts of the South Africa Test team that is rated number two in the world.

The objectives of the academy are to assist the cricketer's development physically, mentally and technically, and to help the cricketers bridge the gap between club/school cricket to first-class level.

They will also engage in a series of training sessions geared toward psychology, money management, nutrition, fitness and health, contracts, agents, public speaking and dealing with the media.

The academy is run by Jimmy Cook, the former Somerset batsman, who took over the directorship from Clive Rice, of Nottinghamshire fame, earlier this year.

Hylton Ackerman is the senior coach, assisted by Kenny Watson and Lefty Ngece, with Karel Mouton serving as administrator.