Top names like Clay Smith (suspended), Janeiro Tucker (injured) and Lionel Cann (work commitments) will be missing. But Bermuda's national cricket squad selected for the Red Stripe Bowl in Jamaica at the end of this month can still record their first ever triumph in the competition.

That's the firm belief of coach Allan Douglas who has seen his team come agonisingly close to pulling off victory in the past.

However, he insists that despite the key absentees, this year's side has the right blend to upset either hosts Jamaica, champions Guyana or the Windward Islands -- Bermuda's three group opponents in the two-week tournament.

The squad, named late last week, is as follows: Charlie Marshall (captain), Albert Steede, Dennis Archer, Dexter Smith, Richard Basden, Aaron Adams, Kwame Tucker, Irving Romaine, David Gibbs, Herbie Bascome, Clarkie Trott, Hasan Durham, Peter Philpott, Stephen Outerbridge. On stand-by is Sammy Robinson.

"I think it's a good combination, it's balanced and that's what I'm impressed with,'' said Douglas. "We have three guys that can take the new ball in Clarkie Trott, David Gibbs and Herbie Bascome.

"And then we have three spinners, one off-spinner in young Stephen Outerbridge and two left-arm spinners in Peter Philpott and Hasan Durham.'' Gibbs, born in Jamaica, is a former Commercial League player who blossomed and gained recognition after joining Somerset in the Premier Division this season while Clarkie Trott's presence adds much-needed firepower to an attack that was lacking penetration a year ago.

The coach relishes the thought of having the duo join up with medium pacer Herbie Bascome in Jamaica.

"When you look at the bowling, we are in good shape. We finally have Clarkie Trott who not only got the most wickets this season but who bowled the most overs. We have him, Herbie and Durham and Philpott, bowlers who between them have bowled a lot this season,'' said Douglas. "It definitely feels good to be going into a top tournament like this with bowlers who have come off such a good season. Gibbs has really impressed a lot with his pace.'' Clay Smith's bat will be missed as well as that of all-rounder Janeiro Tucker and the late-order batting of Lionel Cann. But Douglas says he is more than satisfied with their replacements.

"Our batting looks good,'' he added. "We have Albert Steede who made the most runs this year and then we have Charlie Marshall and Dexter Smith who has had a good year with the bat. Also there are Richard Basden and Aaron Adams who are like little fighters, hustlers in the middle, players who are willing to take on the bowlers and run hard between the wickets.

"That makes me feel good and now we just have to go out there and really try to put all of it together and come up with a really respectable result.'' Douglas continues to be haunted by memories of past close encounters when Bermuda got into a winning position but then let the opportunity slip. And he's desperate to make amends this time around.

He's banking on all of the players to lift their performance a notch, improving not only with bat and ball but also in the field.

"I'm confident that we can record a victory because in every tournament we have been in we have been close to achieving a victory and I think we are ready to win. If things go our way, if we continue to improve on the little things we are working on with our batting and our fielding then I think it can happen,'' he said.

"It is important that the bowlers not only contain the batsmen but also pick up wickets and by taking a few more wickets I think we can surprise the opposition and score a positive result.

"This is limited overs cricket we are talking about, anything can happen. I am banking on us making these improvements to our game and this combined with the fact that we are very conscious that we want to qualify for ICC gives us the incentive to work hard for success.'' National team defeat Commercial League champions -- See Page 27.