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BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

Bermuda's big World Cup push

cricket for Bermuda's build-up to next year's ICC Trophy tournament in Nairobi, Kenya, was yesterday revealed by the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control.

President Ed Bailey said that the astronomical amount of money though will cover all phases of their programme, from the Bermuda's squads five-game tour of Barbados in March to incoming and outgoing tours as well as the arrangements to have coaches brought here for two periods between now and the team's departure for Kenya in a year's time.

The programme clearly indicates how much work the board has put into its planning. It also demonstrates just how serious they are in taking steps to ensure that the ICC Trophy team will this time be more prepared than any previous Bermuda team which has participated.

"In the history of cricket here in the Island we have never had such an ambitious and dynamic programme. I think that with cricket being our national sport it is realistically the only sport that can get Bermuda in the World Cup any time in this decade,'' said Bailey in an obvious reference to the failure of the Bermuda soccer team to advance beyond the second-round qualifiers.

"There is a realistic chance of Bermuda going on to the World Cup in 1995 and we are excited about it for two reasons.

"Firstly, because Zimbawe, which has won the ICC competition each time, has now been promoted into first-class service and is now a Test-playing country and will not be in this competition and secondly because as a result of a resolution at an ICC Trophy meeting in England there are three associate members who go on to the World Cup, which makes it a total of 12 instead of nine in previous occasions.'' Bailey said that by setting up what he determined to be their "most intensive programme'' the board has just recently submitted documents to the Sports Minister outlining a programme for raising money for the scheme, most of which would come from sponsorship, donations and gate receipts.

Most of what Bailey revealed though had already been made public on previous occasions, it included the tour of Barbados by Bermuda from March 5-15 where they will attend a training camp, confirmation of the tour to Bermuda of Derbyshire on March 27 during which time they will play six games, and the confirmation of a West Indies `A' team visit to Bermuda on June 18 for six matches.

Derbyshire's opponents are tentatively set as Bermuda, BCBC President's XI, Somerset Select, St. George's Select, the Under-25s, and league champions Western Stars.

Among the outgoing tours will be the Bermuda Under-19 team's participation in the International Youth Tournament in Denmark on July 10 and the second Bermuda tour to Barbados to attend a two-week training camp in November.

Emphasis will be put on coaching during the year also with confirmation of the return of Doug Ferguson for four months from April. Another coach will be brought in to the fine tune the ICC squad from late August until January but Bailey could not say whether this person would be brought in from the West Indies or England.

However, Bailey did declare that Gordon Greenidge could possibly be the one chosen to assist the Bermuda team while they are in Barbados. He said that the arrangements are being made at the other end but Greenidge's name is one that has been mentioned both for the Barbados venture and to assist the team here later in the year.

The board is also working feverishly on finalising the proposed Pakistan tour here in May after their Test series in the West Indies.

"We have received correspondence from Pakistan who have asked us to reconsider our position because they have reconsidered theirs and they are anxious to get to Bermuda,'' said Bailey.

"We will have talks with them some time during the next seven days and will announce whether or not they will be here.''