What a week of ups and downs for Bermuda cricket.

Over the past week I had the privilege to be assistant coach for the Bermuda national team and witness first hand the direction in which our cricket is going. The make-up of the team is very well balanced with youth being the main ingredient mixed in with some senior, experienced players.

The Americas tournament was mainly a battle between the top three – Bermuda, Canada and USA. With very little separating the three teams, winning the toss was crucial. In almost every game the team batting first prevailed due to the wickets drying out and the ball playing lower and slower in the second half of the game, thus making batting more challenging for the players.

Unfortunately we (Bermuda) were unable to retain the Americas trophy, but we finished a credible second. Much experience was gained throughout this tournament and there were some individual performances that were outstanding, such as Glenn Blakeney's 118 not out, Lionel Cann's 101 not out, Delyone Borden's six for 18 and David Hemp averaging in the 80s.

In addition, young Chris Douglas continued his progression at the top flight, averaging in the 30s, and young Justin Pitcher made his debut bowling a total of 19 overs – two wickets for 55 runs.

Unfortunately, Bermuda were without the services of Blakeney for the first three games of the tour due to a hamstring injury and his presence was truly missed against USA. Much was expected of Glenn upon his return to the international level and he did not disappoint with a classy 118 not out. If this is a taste of what's to come in the future, then Bermuda, we are in for some exciting times ahead.

If there was one area where the team fell short then it was in the fast bowling department, but it is also an area that we have loads of potential.

Otherwise this Bermuda team is looking solid in all areas.

No, we didn't win the Americas Cup, but as a team we learned and gained valuable experience, and with all the exposure the players are receiving, it bodes well for the future. When I look at this team and think of a few players who could be added to the squad – Kyle Hodsoll, Kevin Hurdle, George O'Brien, Malachi Jones, Janeiro Tucker and OJ Pitcher, then this team will only get stronger.

To be quite honest, I feel that if all of these players commit themselves to training and are 100 percent focused, then Bermuda can once again return to the Cricket World Cup.

It was a pleasure to have our number one fan back with us again, Robert (Ice Water) Smith. In the past, he has travelled around the world on many tours, carrying and waving his Bermuda flag proudly for all to see.

Randy Horton and former great Robert (Jumping Jack) Hinds also came to show their support. Hinds came and watched us play a few games and his presence alone spoke volumes. His willingness to share his knowledge with current day players is truly appreciated. He is very passionate about his cricket and wants to see Bermuda do well.

If there is one piece of advice that I can personally share with these players it would be to relish this opportunity and make the most out of it. As a cricketer when your career is over you want to know that you did everything you could have possibly done to make yourself and Bermuda proud.

I said it once before and I will say it again, "I have won many trophies before in my lifetime, but you can add them all together and they would not equal the feeling I had and we as a country had when we qualified for Cricket World Cup."

I encourage today's cricketers to go out there and prove the world wrong a second time and show them what Bermuda is really made of.