Prolific left-handed batsman Glenn Blakeney has broken silence following his shock omission last week from the national cricket squad.

Still to fathom out Bermuda Cricket Board's (BCB) decision to axe him from Clay Smith's squad currently preparing for July's International Cricket Council (ICC) Trophy tournament in Ireland, Blakeney yesterday went on the offensive.

He claimed certain players in the squad had been the recipients of preferential treatment from the Board.

Blakeney, along with St. David's fast bowler George O'Brien Jr, was omitted from the national team due to “an insufficient attendance record” at training sessions, while St.George's' Gregg Foggo and Allan Douglas Jr, Bailey's Bay's Stephen Outerbridge and Western Stars' Jekon Edness were all excused for various reasons, according to BCB treasurer Neil Speight.

Blakeney's exclusion served to underline the Board's zero tolerance approach towards training attendance ahead of July's crucial ICC Trophy in which Bermuda will be among 12 nations vying for one of only five 2007 World Cup spots in the West Indies.

Mindful of the Board's strict training attendance policy, the Bailey's Bay-bound early order batsman said he felt that policy should have been applicable to everyone “across the board”, and not just a select few.

“It's fine that they (BCB) have a policy in place that you have to respect. But it should be across the board for everyone,” Blakeney told The Royal Gazette.

“I have been training for a couple of months and my wife has been studying. And that was put across to the Board,” he continued. “I thought everything was OK after talking with them but obviously the national team selectors thought otherwise.

“I just find this kind of hard and I'm still wondering what were the real reasons for my omission. I understand if you have a policy it has to be abided by. But it also has to apply to everybody. You have guys who are still training who haven't attended as often as I have.”

The Royal Gazette learned that five players had previously been excused from training to tend to personal matters but have since rejoined the squad. That list consisted of Albert Steede, Janeiro Tucker, Lionel Cann, Dean Minors and Hasan Durham.

“Some people should not be allowed to join or start training late,” Blakeney argued. “A couple of players have just joined the team and as far I know they are still training with them.”

Prior to his omission Blakeney had shed a considerable amount of weight after hitting the irons in the gym. But it was low attendance at training sessions, largely due to work and family commitments, which led to his ultimate axing from the squad.

“I was really focused on being a part of the national team,” he said. “That's why I was training four times per week. To get up 5.30 in the morning and go to the gym must tell you something. I was putting in my time only to go around to the BCB and find out that I've been dropped.

“Yes, it was a little hurting at first. But that's life and I've now got over that.”

Chairman of national team selectors, Arnold Manders, yesterday denied Blakeney's allegations that certain team members had received preferential treatment.

“Some players did start training late because they were either abroad, injured or sick,” he explained. “But Glenn only attended two of 16 training sessions. Nobody really wanted to drop Glenn and nobody has received any preferential treatment.

“But a precedent was set and we have other players out there training hard week in and week out five sessions out of five.”

According to Manders, all players vying for a spot on Bermuda's ICC Trophy squad must attend 60 percent of national team training sessions in order to be eligible for team selection.

For the first time the Board have recruited a physiotherapist, Daniel Morgan, and a nutritionist, Arlene Andrews, to ensure players are physically prepared for July's crucial assignment.

Team members have been undergoing vigorous exercises while individual progress, body weight and fat have also been closely monitored.

The squad presently train three days per week at the Olympic Club, embark on a four-mile run every Friday before hitting the nets on weekends under the watchful eye of interim coach Wendell Smith.

Earlier this week the Board announced a squad of 17 players due to embark on a ten-day training camp in Trinidad on April 5 where former West Indies vice-captain and coach Gus Logie will officially take over the helm from Smith.

Bermuda have been placed in Group One in the ICC Trophy tournament along with hosts Ireland, Denmark, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the USA, with only the top two automatically advancing to the 2007 Cricket World Cup.