Bermuda's budding cricket stars are aiming for victory at the first attempt in the Under-13 Regional Invitational Cricket Festival starting next week in St. Kitts and Nevis.

The young side faces a gruelling nine games in ten days but the squad is confident it has done the work to succeed with two training sessions a week for the last year.

Coach George Cannonier said: "These guys are well prepared and have been looking forward to this tournament for some time now.

"They have been training for this overs game and will hold their own. I would not be surprised if they won it."

The team, which has never competed in the tournament before, warmed up by playing Bermuda's women's side.

Captain Joshua Gilbert, 13, said: "I am expecting a lot from the players. They are the best in Bermuda right now at the under-13 level.

"It's a big challenge, we will take a lot of heat out there. We have practised 'tip and go' to take lots of singles in this limited overs game.

Vice-captain Jonte Smith, 13, who is son of former Bermuda captain Clay Smith, said: "I expect to score at least one half century.

"We have a very strong team, we are hoping to win some of our games but we don't know what the competition is going to be like."

His dad told The Royal Gazette: "It's good to get these boys overseas for this exposure.

Jonte added: "My dad told me it's hard but as you get used to playing against higher level players it becomes easier."

And he said the experience of representing Bermuda abroad wasn't new to him having just come back from an eye-opening tour of Brazil with a select side of Bermuda footballers which came second in the Copa Amize tournament in San Paulo - also spread over ten days - where he was dazzled by the soccer skills of the locals and shocked by the level of poverty.

And his captain Joshua Gilbert also said he had experience overseas after competing in the under-15 America's tournament last year.

Despite his young age he said he was undaunted by being away from home. "It feels nice to leave the country for a while," he said.

Cricket bosses stressed next week's competition was as much about gaining experience as grabbing glory.

Bermuda Cricket Board executive director Neil Speight said: "We are up against the likes of Barbados and Trinidad so we realise it's stiff competition.

"As it is a squad in development, all players will get a chance to play in at least five games.

"It's a fantastic opportunity for them to experience quality cricket. It is their first tour so hopefully in eight years' time we will see them qualify for the 2015 World Cup and we can all go to Australia and watch them play there."

It is the tenth annual festival and the only competition of its kind in the region.

Speight said locally the under-13 league had flourished in the three years its been running while the national programme had been running since last year.

Under-13 squad: Joshua Gilbert (Captain); Jonte Smith (Vice Captain); Winton Woodley; Tre Manders; Lateef Trott; Onias Bascome; Okera Bascome; Shea Pitcher; William White; Christian Burgess; Keishon Smith; Dage Minors; Naquan Smith; Joshua Commissiong; Jonathon Marion.