While talent is often the flower that catches the eye, it takes a lot more to achieve success.

And just as the anti-drug sports commercials being shown on local television place emphasis on substance over substances or style, so such will new national cricket coach Roland Butcher seek in those that come under his charge.

The recently hired former England middle-order batsman was on hand Sunday for the Champion of Champions final between Southampton and Western Stars, and while not willing to offer a ready assessment of on-field play, noted the type of players he'd be looking for once he settles into the new role.

"When I start working with the players I'll get a much clearer idea of, not just their ability, but how they think, etcetera, etcetera,'' said Butcher, a native of Barbados who emigrated to England and participated in three Tests and three one-day internationals.

"Today all you can see is what they're doing from a playing point of view, but it's only when you start working with players that you really find out about them.

"The first thing is that a player has to be coachable.

"Is a player coachable? Can he adapt to my ideas? Can I adapt to his ideas? "There's a lot of naturally gifted players in any sport, but they can't adapt to the coach's ideas or he to their's. Those are things you have to find out and you only find out in time.'' However, while BCBC president El James has emphasised Butcher's to be a long-term project, the public, no doubt, seek a speedy return of Bermuda to the upper echelon of non-Test playing countries.

The coach is not unaware of the high and immediate expectations any nation carries for its sporting teams, and does not shy away from the challenge. Yet he added that while most of the glamour comes with the senior side doing well, it is at the grassroots and in between where much of the work takes place.

"I've been to Bermuda before. I've seen the cricket here and, really, to me, this is a challenge,'' said Butcher, who has experience working in the school system, having stood as first teams coach at Westminster Public Schools.

"Obviously there's a lot of ambition here and really I'm an ambitious person as well, so I view this as, certainly, an important part of my development as well as Bermuda's.

"There are several challenges. Obviously, at the top of the tree is the main national side, so you have to work with them and make them successful. You've got on the longer term the real challenge at the lower levels, starting with the schools and working right the way through, so it's the space in between school and the top level that is the challenge.

"The first thing I have to do is get around and see what's there. Talk to people, get a feel of what they want, what they expect.

"I've got my own thoughts on doing things, but I've got to find out what people have been doing, and, more importantly, what they want to do.'' Whatever the 46-year-old comes up with will carry a tremendous enjoyment factor, for he firmly believes that success will only come if the participants actually like what they are doing.

"One of the main things about cricket is that you've got to enjoy it,'' he explained. "You've got to enjoy playing the game.

"If you don't enjoy playing the game you'll get little out of it, so it's very important that you enjoy the game and that's one of the things I'll be trying to get over to the players.'' For the next two weeks Butcher will take the time get familiar with his new surroundings, meet with relevant parties among the education department and clubs before returning to England to sort out any outstanding personal affairs as well as devise a concrete plan for the sport's development here.

Butcher will not play a role in Bermuda's foray into the Red Stripe Bowl next month in the Caribbean, rather he will come aboard soon after to commence preparations for the ICC Trophy tournament next year in Canada.

Meanwhile, James expressed a great deal of satisfaction at finally having Butcher in Bermuda -- in the flesh -- and further noted his confidence in his being able to do the job.

"We're very excited,'' gushed James. "It's a vision that we've had for the last two years, and now after a lot of hard work, a lot of interviews and negotiations, we finally have Mr. Butcher, who we think is very qualified to take the job and fulfil the goals that we have for the future of cricket on this Island.'' Roland Butcher: looking for `coachable' Bermuda cricketers.