Bermuda Cricket Board of Control president Ed Bailey labelled it the "most successful tour ever'', and now the Board intends to fully capitalise on the considerable popularity of the Australian Test team.

The timing of the tour was perfect, according to the Board, coming as it did as the BCBC attempts to relaunch a youth league.

Scores of schoolchildren flocked to the three matches and bombarded the Australians with autograph requests at every opportunity.

"We purposely put a lot of emphasis on the youth with this tour,'' said Bailey yesterday.

"Quite a bit of interest has been stimulated in the schools, and seeing 500 students down there at Wellington Oval was certainly an achievement for us in our development programme.

"We also had the opportunity of (coach) Bob Simpson having a chat with the senior team and the under 19 team.'' As well as proving popular on the field, the Australians, fresh from a 2-1 Test series win over the West Indies in the Caribbean, also made a number of visits to schools last week, offering tips to students at nine schools over three days.

Just the fact that Bermuda was the first country to host the Aussies after their victory over the previous world champions, should be considered an honour, said Bailey.

"Remember that Australia are now considered the world champs,'' Bailey stressed. "How many other people in the world will have the opportunity to see them? "I'm very happy that Australia did come along. We have fostered the bond of a good relationship between the Bermuda Cricket Board and the Australian Cricket Board as a result of this trip. Where it was most rewarding was that Australia went into the schools.'' Bailey estimated that expenses for the three match tour would exceed $50,000.

However, the support of the three major sponsors, Bank of Bermuda, Burrows Lightbourn and John Barritt & Son Ltd., plus the manner in which the public rallied behind the tour, should help the BCBC cover its costs and even realise a small profit.

"I want to thank the Board members because they put in a lot of long hours and it took about six months to arrange this tour,'' said Bailey. "There will not be a substantial profit, but what comes out of it is the investment.

"Even if we break even we will feel it was well worth it. If we had lost, we still would have won.

"No Australian batsman made a century, although two or three made half centuries, which goes to show that the quality of cricket has been raised contrary to what a lot of people are saying.

Added the president: "What Bob Simpson said is that most Bermudians are under achievers because they don't have the opportunity to display their full potential. The more international teams we bring here, the better quality cricket we will see and our cricket will continue to improve.'' The Australians left the Island last night, most of them headed back Down Under where celebrations are being lined up to mark the team's victory over the West Indies.

Coach Simpson was here for just two matches, departing after Saturday's game against the President's XI as he went to London for further tests on the thrombosis which he suffered during the team's stay in the Caribbean.

Board officials will be attempting to keep the momentum going in the coming weeks and months when the focus will switch to the International Youth Tournament in Holland in July, the planned visit by Jamaica in September and then next year's tour here by New Zealand following their visit to the Caribbean for three Tests.

In the future another visit by Australia looks a certainty as this has become a popular stopover for the team.

"It's going to become a matter of right rather than a privilege,'' Bailey said in regard to hosting the Aussies again. "That is what Jack Edwards, their manager, said and I like it when they put it that way.

"The New Zealand tour is very much on the cards. Hopefully we'll get at least three matches against them. India are touring the Caribbean in '97 and hopefully they will come here after that.'' There are also plans afoot to involve Bermuda in a seven-a-side tournament in Victoria, Australia next year after the World Cup in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

That tournament will involve the nine Test playing countries and Bermuda, as the semi-finalists from the ICC competition who lost out on a spot in the World Cup, have been recommended to join them.

While there the Board may also take the opportunity to include a few other players and take in a trip to Malaysia where the next ICC Trophy will be staged in 1997.

MARK OF EXCELLENCE -- Cricketers the calibre of Mark Waugh, seen here during last Saturday's match between the tourists and the BCBC President's XI, will almost certainly visit the Island again following the Aussies' next tour of the Caribbean.