Marcus Johnson set out on a journey yesterday that may one day see him following in the footsteps of current West Indies internationals Keiron Pollard and Rayad Emrit.

The Somerset bowler has received a full cricket scholarship to the University of Trinidad and Tobago's Academy of Sport and Leisure High Performance Unit and left the Island yesterday to begin a four-year course in sport studies.

Johnson is the first Bermuda cricketer to be given the opportunity to train at an academy that has produced the likes of Pollard and Emrit, and counts former West Indies players such as Larry Gomes and Mervyn Dillon amongst its coaches.

The BCB are hoping that Johnson will be just the first of many young Bermudians to follow this route, and after setting up successful links with schools and universities in England see a move towards the West Indies as a natural progression of their programme to find places for any talented youngster that wants one.

"This is a natural progression for us I think," said national team coach Gus Logie. "Marcus is a pioneer in this effort, I don't want to put too much weight on his shoulders, but obviously Marcus will be the benchmark and certainly what he does will influence if this relationship continues.

"Some people say we are living in testing times, in uncertain times, but I think it is an exciting time to be a young cricketer here in Bermuda to take the opportunities given to them by the Bermuda Cricket Board to be able to excel in many areas.

"The opportunity is there for him to play against some of the other universities and to tour other countries with the university. One of the arrangements we have with the university is for them coming here as well. It is the kind of relationship we want to encourage.

"Many of the young players (from the university) have gone to play on for the national team, and the Stanford Masters team.

"The hope, of course, is that Marcus can use this to break into the national team, but we just want him to grab this opportunity with both hands and go from there."

Far from being over-awed by the prospect of going up against some of the best players in the West Indies, Johnson is looking forward to proving how good cricket in Bermuda can be.

"I just want to go down there and do the best I can and show that Bermuda has talented children that can keep up with the world," he said.

"I want to show that we (Bermuda) can compete at the higher level of international cricket and not, like some people say, that Bermuda is at the lower level of international cricket.

"There isn't that much difference between our cricket and theirs. I probably have to step it up a notch, to keep up with them, but I'm just going to do my best and the rest will come later."