Under their third captain in three years, Bermuda launch their third Red Stripe Cup campaign tomorrow against Brian Lara's Trinidad and Tobago hoping the new-look team can succeed where the 1996 and '97 teams failed...and win at least one match.

Even with a full strength side that would have been a tall order for Bermuda who will be without top batsmen Clay Smith and Albert Steede and outgoing captain Arnold Manders.

Manders, who replaced Steede, the 1996 captain, now makes way for Charlie Marshall.

Not only was Marshall a late replacement in the team -- he was included in the training squad after writing a letter of apology for his past behaviour -- but he was only given the captaincy after Janeiro Tucker turned down the offer.

Added to that, several players ruled themselves out through either suspension, unavailability, failing a drug test or refusing to take one, which left the cricket board selectors scratching their heads as to who to pick.

However, Marshall does have some mature and level-headed players at his disposal.

Among the nine newcomers in the squad of 14 are the likes of Dennis Archer, Keith Wainwright, Dave Greenidge, Peter Philpott, Sammy Robinson, Anthony Braithwaite and Charles Swan.

But the obvious question is how well can a makeshift team such as this expect to do against Guyana, Trinidad and the Windward Islands in Zone One? Marshall led the Bermuda team to victory in the 1979 International Youth Tournament in Canada, so he has experienced success at the international level.

But the two competitions don't compare as Bermuda will again come up against some of the best players, not only in the Caribbean but in the world. Bermuda play their first match tomorrow at Uitvlugt with West Indies captain Brian Lara and one-day specialist Phil Simmons looking to feast on the Bermuda bowling. In the 1997 match Lara scored 110 and Simmons 59 in the Trinidad and Tobago total of 300-5 which gave them a comfortable 184-run win over Bermuda.

Even without Steede, Manders and Clay Smith, there is room for some optimism about the Bermuda batting with captain Marshall, Dexter Smith, Wainwright, Irving Romaine, Janeiro Tucker and policemen Philpott, Archer and Greenidge all capable.

Add to that Cup Match colts Kwame Tucker, the wicketkeeper, and Sammy Robinson and there are a couple of youngsters for the future. Both are deserving of their chance at this level with Tucker looking all along to be the obvious choice in the absence of Dean Minors after a fine season behind the stumps and with the bat for his club, Southampton Rangers.

But the bowling, once again, is an area of some concern. There are few match-winning bowlers in the squad. In past recent tournaments, Barbados-born Roger Blades has been the main strike bowler, now fellow Bajan, Braithwaite, will carry that load.

Braithwaite and Charles Swan will likely share the new ball in the opening match while Somerset youngster Tacoma Robinson is a fast bowler with some promise and has been chosen -- admittedly surprisingly -- with that in mind.

The competition begins today when hosts Guyana take on the Windward Islands while in Zone Two in Jamaica, the United States take on the Leeward Islands.

Bermuda's second match will be on Friday against the Windwards, captained by Junior Murray, before they take on Guyana on Sunday.

Bermuda's best hopes of victory will be against the Windwards who are regarded as the weakest of the West Indies teams. On their debut in 1996, Bermuda lost by just two runs to the Windwards in the first meeting and 37 in the second.

Carl Hooper, who was recently in Bermuda for his honeymoon, will captain the Guyana team, one of the pre-tournament favourites. With a side also containing West Indies Test players Shivnarine Chanderpool and Clayton Lambert, the challenge will be a tough one for Bermuda.

The top two teams from each of the two zones will advance to the semi-finals on Friday and Saturday, October 16 and 17. The final is scheduled for Monday, October 19.

Bermuda squad: Charlie Marshall, Dennis Archer, Dexter Smith, Keith Wainwright, Dave Greenidge, Irving Romaine, Peter Philpott, Janeiro Tucker, Kwame Tucker, Cleon Scotland, Sammy Robinson, Charles Swan, Anthony Braithwaite, Tacoma Robinson.

Schedule Zone One (in Guyana) Today: Guyana v Windwards; Tomorrow: Trinidad & Tobago v Bermuda; Thursday: Trinidad & Tobago v Windwards; Friday: Bermuda v Windwards; Saturday: Guyana v Trinidad & Tobago; Sunday: Guyana v Bermuda Zone Two (in Jamaica) Today: USA v Leewards; Tomorrow: Jamaica v USA; Thursday: Barbados v Leewards; Friday: USA v Barbados; Saturday: Jamaica v Leewards; Sunday: Jamaica v Barbados.