sixth ICC Tournament as a member of the Bermuda squad.

However, while the Island's premier cricketers enter their final two months of training towards this year's spectacle in Malaysia, veteran Gibbons -- still regarded as a top all-rounder -- can only hope and pray for a last minute reprieve, with the odds set firmly against him.

Just as with Cup Match -- he was unceremoniously dropped in 1994 -- Gibbons has been forced out the door, rather than being allowed to leave on his own terms.

At 41 most players, if not already retired, probably would not even consider themselves national squad material and expect to be passed over. But Gibbons firmly believes he still has much to offer.

And, while begrudgingly accepting that the sun has set on his international career, he believes this has more to do with the opinions and actions of a precious few in positions of power who view him as too old, rather than any decline in performance.

"I would say `Yes' I accept my international career is over, but I hate to say it,'' said Gibbons, who was a member of the Bermuda squads in 1979, '82, '86, '90 and '94. "It's the few people that wear the `hats' that say so. And they have the final say. Everything comes to an end, but once again this age barrier comes into it. I feel that if the ability is still there, why not discard the age barrier.

"I firmly feel that this age barrier is being allowed to carry too much weight.'' Gibbons readily admitted that he was not quite the player of yesteryear.

His bowling pace has dropped dramatically from during his prime and the runs do not flow so freely from the bat, and his fielding has also suffered.

While he has managed only a handful of games locally in recent years, returning last year to take part in the Eastern Counties competition with mixed results -- best bowling of three-for-16 versus Cleveland; top score of 26 versus Flatts -- for Buckhurst in England, Gibbons has been a God-send.

There he has racked up sensational figures in all departments, even getting a call to join a Rest of the World squad which includes past Test greats such as Alvin Kallicharan, Collis King, Sanjay Mandrekar among others. They will tour five countries while playing 19 matches starting in April.

The bottom line, Gibbons asserts, is that he can still get the job done and that's all that should matter.

"Years ago I was faster and more fluent and now I do things a little different and slower, but I'm still effective,'' he said. "Once you have the ability you always have it.'' Pointing specifically to one-day cricket and Bermuda's inability to restrict teams both during the last ICC tournament and at the recent Shell/Sandals tournament, Gibbons was adamant that his style was perfectly suited.

"I thought (Bermuda) batted and fielded well, but the bowling was lacking and I felt that I could have been an asset in that department with the limited overs format.'' Gibbons says he's concerned about Bermuda's preparation for ICC, which he said appeared to fall in line with that of previous years, where an amateur attitude prevailed.

"I've talked to guys and they've told me it's the regular Bermuda style,'' he said. "Dougie's (coach Alan Douglas) doing his best, but there's only so much he can do.

"I would say that they have an outside chance at ICC, but it's not going to be an easy road. I've seen so many other teams improve 100 percent and Bermuda will really have to work hard.''