victory in the forthcoming Red Stripe Bowl? That's the big unresolved question as the team prepares to jet out on Monday for the big challenge that lies ahead of them during their four matches in Antigua and Anquilla from October 9-15.

With former England and Middlesex player Barbardian-born Roland Butcher, recently named national coach of the Island, on hand for Bermuda, combined with the positive attitude that has prevailed at training during the last few weeks assistant coach Winston Reid believes that good fortunes just may indeed lie ahead for captain Charlie Marshall and his players.

While not giving his views on whether the team will record its first ever victory over either Leeward Islands, Cayman Island, Windward Island or Guyana, Reid did speak with the sort of conviction that he strongly believed success was on the cards.

"This team is ready and prepared, the enthusiasm is there, the togetherness is there and if we carry all of this into the game I can't see why we can't be successful,'' he said.

With a team such as the Caymans in Bermuda's group, Reid indeed may be justified in his optimism -- albeit not based on the team's performance last year when they lost to Jamaica, Guyana and Windward Islands. The latter was a painstaking defeat with Bermuda dismissed for an embarrassingly low total of 47 in reply to the 209 posted by their opponents.

There is no question that some view the squad as being depleted without such quality players as Albert Steede, Lionel Cann, Dean Minors and Glenn Blakeney but Reid preferred to avoid any sort of discussion over their absence, obviously viewing it as a distraction that would not benefit the enthusiasm that existed within the current squad.

Just recently Bermuda Cricket Board of Control president El James hinted that several players lacked commitment to the national programme, indicating that the absence of some could be attributed to a lack of interest to train.

"I hope the public will realise that the squad chosen are the individuals who have our best interest at heart, these are the ones who have the national pride and commitment who are going to the Caribbean to give their country 100 percent,'' he said.

Reid, who will be going to the Bowl for the second time after making his initial trip as assistant to former coach Allan Douglas in 1998, said that the inclusion of Butcher on the tour would be a huge boost for the squad.

"He is the national coach, it's nice that he will be there because of his experience in Test and one day games and while playing for Middlesex for 19 years. I am sure that he can bring a lot of experience to the team. There are a lot of things that we probably would not know that he has been through several times at his level and if he can pass on a few tips to our players, I don't see why we can't grasp it and be successful,'' said Reid.

"I quite frankly don't know the conditions that we will face down there, I haven't had the experience of playing down there but I can imagine that they are similar to all of the other wickets in the Caribbean and all we need to do is to play within our limitations, respect all of the other team's ability but play the ball and work on what we set about to do.'' He reckoned that it was vital for the players to stick to their plans going into the tournament and don't try to worry about the opposition.

Reid felt the local players should not be overawed by Test players' presence because anything could happen on the field of play to swing the advantage one way or the other regardless of the strength of any one team.

"We have to stick to our plans whatever they may be and try not to divert too much and hopefully the best will come. I know that they have some very decent players in the tournament but we can't worry about that, what we have to worry about is what we have to do.

"We have to bowl line and length, and when we are batting we have to approach the game positively, and once we can do these things as a team I don't see why we can't be successful at the end. "It's not about going out there to beat anybody, it's more about going out there and playing cricket...the last thing you worry about is probably to win, the win comes last. You have got to score the runs, you got to get the men out and after that comes the win,'' he said.

Bermuda squad: Charlie Marshall (capt), Richard Basden, Hasan Durham, Curtis Jackson, Dennis Pilgrim, Janeiro Tucker, Kwame Tucker, Jermaine Warner, Wendell White, Mackie Crane, Clay Smith, Dennis Archer, Herbie Bascome, Sheridan Ming. Coach: Winston Reid. Manager: Ellsworth Christopher.

Schedule: October 11 -- Bermuda v Leewards, Antigua; October 12 -- Bermuda v Caymans, Antigua; October 14 -- Bermuda v Windwards, Anquilla; October 15 -- Bermuda v Guyana, Antigua