Bermuda's national cricket squad flew out of St. Vincent and into Jamaica yesterday where a three-day break will give coach Gus Logie and his men ample time to contemplate their shortcomings in two final World Cup warm-up games this week and just how they go about minimising a multitude of glaring weaknesses.

The players are likely to hold a light training session today before donning their Sunday best tomorrow for an opening ceremony that will see all 16 teams gather at Trelawny in the north of Jamaica.

In between, having been installed by bookmakers as the biggest outsiders in World Cup history, Logie has to formulate a plan which will somehow allow his charges to emerge from their upcoming group stage matches with their pride still intact.

After suffering a 241-run beating from England on Monday and a six-wicket loss to Zimbabwe on Thursday, the players can hardly be relishing the prospect of taking on a star-studded Sri Lanka team in their opening game at the Queen's Park Oval next Thursday.

That will be followed with, what on paper at least, would appear to be an even tougher assignment at the same venue four days later against India — the same India who yesterday skittled out West Indies for a measly 85 in their final warm-up.

Following Thursday's defeat when only Janeiro Tucker, with a well-played half-century, troubled Zimbabwe's bowlers, captain Irving Romaine admitted that despite almost two years' of preparation the national side were still no closer to finding a settled batting line-up.

"We really have to find an order that works. We have to make a decision on who will be the top five and stick with it because we need to find something that works," said Romaine.

"We have to get it right."

But that won't be Logie's only dilemma. Having already indicated both spinners Dwayne Leverock and Delyone Borden will be guaranteed spots in the side, he has to decide whether to leave out young pacers Stefan Kelly and Malachi Jones in favour of the more experienced but often erratic Kevin Hurdle and Saleem Mukuddem.

Most likely he will, which will leave him little option but to field a team (in batting order) as follows: Clay Smith, Dean Minors, Irving Romaine, David Hemp, Janeiro Tucker, OJ Pitcher, Lionel Cann, Saleem Mukuddem, Delyone Borden, Kevin Hurdle, Dwayne Leverock.

The unlucky four would include early order bats Kwame Tucker and Stephen Outerbridge, neither of whom have done enough to warrant a starting place, as well as Kelly and Jones.

But Logie has surprised in the past and he may still have an ace up the sleeve, although it's difficult to imagine what it could possibly be at this late stage of the campaign.

In the meantime, his instruction to the players this weekend will likely be 'relax and enjoy the occasion'.

Much like the matches themselves, the opening ceremony will be beamed 'live' to billions of TV viewers in hundreds of countries around the world.

Fittingly for a tournament being held in the Caribbean for the first time, one of the greatest of all cricketing icons, Sir Garfield Sobers, will officially open the World Cup.

Acknowledged by many as the game's most accomplished player, the Barbados all-rounder, now 70 years-old, was as a unanimous choice for the honour.

"We were of the view that this signal honour is befitting of the greatest cricketer the world has ever seen and it was eagerly endorsed by the CWC Board and all of the other LOCs," explained CWC Managing Director and CEO Chris Dehring.

"It is a privilege and honour for us to have one of the pillars of West Indies cricket, who is revered the world over, declare this momentous event open in front of all of the Caribbean and a global television audience.

"It is because of legends like Sir Garry that we today have the opportunity to host this event."

Stephen Alleyne, CEO of the Barbados LOC, echoed similar sentiments, stating: "I think the entire Caribbean, in fact the entire world, would agree that the most appropriate person to open the Caribbean's greatest endeavour would be the Caribbean's - and in fact the world's - greatest ever cricketer."

Reacting to the invitation, Sobers said he was humbled and felt privileged to have been recognised.

"It is a great honour to declare the Cricket World Cup open. I'm taking it in stride and I'm looking forward to the occasion," he added.

"It will be phenomenal for the Caribbean, especially for those persons who haven't had the opportunity to see a Cricket World Cup. It will be a fantastic experience."

Two days after tomorrow's formalities, the opening match of the tournament will be held at Sabina Park, Kingston where hosts the West Indies go head-to-head with Pakistan.

The tournament will see 51 matches played between 16 teams with the final to be staged at Kensington Oval, Barbados on April 28.

Australia are the defending champions after beating India in the 2003 World Cup final in Johannesburg.