Bermuda?s stiffest competition in the quest to host Cricket World Cup matches in 2007 is likely to come from the USA.

President of Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) Reggie Pearman said yesterday that while The Bahamas and Cayman Islands were also vying for the ten percent of games to be played outside the West Indies the strongest threat is the Americans.

?I would think so,? he acknowledged in reply to the question on the US being the Island?s strongest challenger.

He also gave the Caymans an outside shot at being chosen when the successful bids are announced on July 4 in the UK.

?I think one of these three countries will get it. We?re hoping it?s not the United States but, with ICC (International Cricket Council) looking towards building up cricket in the USA, who knows.

?I think with our history and the team we have, we?re going to put forward a strong case for Bermuda.

?And because of our proximity to the United States maybe something may come up that we can both get a game because as far as I know they are talking about playing the games in Florida,? said an optimistic Pearman at a press conference to give a World Cup update.

Sports Minister Dale Butler revealed the Island would bid for both first-round and warm-up fixtures and Pearman noted Bermuda could still get the latter if overlooked for games in the tournament proper.

Either situation would mean four teams ? including one of the major cricketing nations ? being based here and six, round-robin matches being contested among the group.

The officials said early vibes about Bermuda?s chances of benefiting from what Butler termed ?the Olympics of cricket? were very good.

?Our consultant team submits that Bermuda?s advantages are: its world-class National Sports Centre, the NSC cricket pavilion which will be completed in April 2004 . . . a modern and efficient transportation network . . . (and) Bermuda?s ability to handle 750 passengers per hour and 6,000 passengers per day at the airport,? the minister told the media at Hamilton Princess.

Butler, who led the Island?s delegation to the Cricket World Cup?s Venue Summit II in Barbados last weekend, added that Bermuda gave ?a strong showing and was acknowledged for being the first country to submit its Letter of Intent to bid to host games?.

He said the meeting was an opportunity for prospective host countries to clarify various aspects of the Bid Book and Bermuda?s primary concerns were security and profit-sharing issues.

Government and the BCB will now press ahead with costing the Island?s bid. That assessment should be finalised next month well before the May 6 deadline for the formal bid submission.

Though it would be a mammoth undertaking if Bermuda was successful, Butler said he saw ?more opportunities than obstacles? particularly given projected tourism revenue of $24-28 million. There would also be priceless advertising and exposure for the Island.

Two of the biggest hurdles which organisers would have to resolve would be transporting an estimated 15,000 spectators per day to and from Frog Lane as well as providing adequate accommodation for the large influx of visitors.

Regarding the former, he revealed officials had already devised ?some innovative strategies for bussing people in? possibly from Bernard Park while noting cruise ships could be used to supplement Bermuda?s hotel-room capacity.

Pearman said the Americas Cup, to be held here in July, would give Bermudians ?a mini-taste? of what they could expect if the Cricket World Cup comes to these shores.

?The Americas Cup will open our eyes up and hopefully we can invite some of the Caribbean here to have a look and see how we?re able to organise that.

?We?ll be using club fields for that competition with the possibility of having the final and semi-finals at the Sports Centre.

?We can handle it.?